Oh Brawling Love
by SachiNyoko
Summary: Marauders era. ::James x Lily:: ::Usagi x Sirius:: One couple is too shy to admit their affections, and one is too busy fighting to realize they like each other. Now that it's their last year in Hogwarts, what desperate moves will be made? Epilogue up.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of these characters! They belong to their respective owners, J.K. and Naoko.

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 "Hi, may we sit here?" The four people sitting in the compartment jumped and looked up. Two girls stood in the doorway, both hauling trunks behind them. The girl on the right still had her hand rested on the door where she'd slid it open moments before, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. Her platinum blonde hair detained its usual meatball buns and her eyes shimmered in the reflection of the fluorescent lights above.

  The girl beside her flashed the same impish grin, her fair hair flipped over her shoulders and her hand placed delicately on her hip. The two together were probably the most coveted girls in the seventh year, and had been since they'd suddenly hit puberty one summer between third and fourth years. The girl on the left connected gazes with a boy by the window and they both looked away quickly, a moment that the blonde didn't miss. She giggled and elbowed her friend in the side playfully. Her friend reddened a dark shade of scarlet while one of the other boys rolled his eyes.

  "Lily, Usagi, just come in already." He grumbled.

  "Aww, what's wrong Siri, aren't you happy to see us?" Usagi asked.

  "No, and stop calling me that!" Sirius growled, glaring at the amused girl before him. Usagi heaved her trunk into the luggage rack above and plopped down right next to Sirius with a huge grin on her face. Sirius groaned and scooted closer to the boy on the other side of him, Peter, effectively crushing him against the wall. Lily took a seat across from her blonde friend and smiled to herself at Usagi's constant effort at torturing Sirius, an effort that proved fruitful 99.99% of the time.

  "So...how was your summer Remy?" Usagi inquired, turning to the boy sitting next to Lily. Remus frowned at the nickname but didn't dispute with her over it.

  "It was fine, Usagi, and yours?" He asked politely.

  "It was okay, overall, but I did miss my Siri." She mused, ruffling his already messy hair.

  "More like you missed the constant tormenting. And stop touching me!" Sirius snapped, pushing her hands away. Usagi recoiled with a triumphant smirk.

  "Okay Siri, I'll leave alone for now. After all, we've got a whole year ahead of us, there's plenty of time." She said nonchalantly, leaning back in her seat. Sirius groaned at his utter misfortune and flopped backwards against his seat. '_That girl is going to be the death of me yet._' He thought to himself, closing his eyes and praying for a savior.

  The rest of the train ride was mildly quiet, save for sporadic outbursts between Lily and Usagi. Once in the Entrance hall, however, the whole mellow atmosphere completely died.

  "Lily, go out with me?" A boy shouted from the other side of the hallway. Lily reddened, so Usagi cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted back.

  "No way, pal, she's already in love with mmmphfjemges." Usagi's statement was cut short by Lily throwing her hand over the blonde's mouth.

  "Usagi, I thought you said you weren't going to say anything about that." She said through gritted teeth. Usagi pulled her hand down and grinned innocently.

  "I was just going to say 'herself', dearest Lily." She said simply. Lily rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to respond when Usagi yelped so loud that her five companions had to cover their ears. The rabbit spun on her heel and sent a death glare at the boy that stood there.

  "Why you chauvinistic little bammmphemm," once again, Usagi was silenced by Lily, but her arms were still free. She reeled one back and slapped the boy right across the face, anger gleaming in her eyes. Sirius, who had just connected the dots, faced the boy and was about to deck him one as well when he felt James' hand on his shoulder. He looked at his black-haired friend, who stared back with raised eyebrows. Realizing what he was doing, Sirius immediately dropped his hand and stepped back, but the ever-observant Usagi hadn't missed a moment of the scene.

  The anger in her eyes was replaced by mischief once more, and she grinned as Lily withdrew her hand. The boy sent a dirty look at the two girls before marching off towards the Great Hall. Usagi stuck her tongue out at his retreating figure, while Lily began muttering to herself.

  "It's been like this for the past two years, it's so stupid. There _are_ other girls in this frickin' school, why can't they chase after them?" She grumbled angrily. Usagi flung an arm around her friend's shoulders with one of her trademark grins lighting up her face.

  "Oh but Lily, we're just so irresistibly sexy, the boys can't keep away. Well, except these four, but they've always been a little strange." Usagi added, motioning towards the four 'marauders' behind them.

  "But anyways, I'm starved, so let's go get some grub." She said cheerfully before any of the boys could defend themselves. Laughing, she steered her best friend towards the Great Hall and left the others to trail behind.

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  Oh dear, I've gone and started _another_ story. pretends to look upset Okay, I have a lot of them that need some updates, but it is summer! I'll have lots of time to work on each of them, and I've been **dying** to write a story on the Marauders. I'll discontinue if you guys don't like it, so do review and tell me what you think. Future chapters will be longer, and I will focus more on James and Lily too. Until then, enjoy this craziness.

--SachiNyoko--


	2. Chapter 2

"Have you ever considered slowing down while you're eating?" Sirius asked with his eyebrows raised as the blonde girl across from him wolfed down her dinner so fast one could assume she hadn't ate in months. Gulping down the clump of half-chewed food collected to the left side of her mouth, Usagi stuck her tongue out at him.

"Never," she replied, turning back to her food. Sirius shook his head and started on his own plate. Calm set over them for a moment, but it didn't last long. A pea sailed across the table and pegged Sirius right between the eyes. Usagi celebrated a silent victory as she continued to eat at her normal pace, pretending nothing happened. Sirius growled and glared at her from his seat, which caused Lily to automatically slide away from Usagi.

The rabbit blinked as a pea bounced off of her nose and glanced up at Sirius to see him sporting a triumphant grin. A glint of challenge sprung into her eyes as she reached for the butter. Collecting a spoonful, she made to butter her biscuit with it. Once Sirius looked away, she took aim with her silverware catapult and sent a glob of butter right at the side of his face. His eyes widened as it hit him and Usagi snorted with mirth.

Calmly, Sirius wiped the mess away with a napkin. His eyes fell on the gravy and they lit up with an idea.

"Here, Usagi, why don't you have some gravy?" He said politely, standing and leaning over the table to pour some on her food. His hand jerked purposely and splashed the substance all over the front of Usagi's robes. Her mouth dropped open but she quickly closed it as Sirius sat back down. She quickly targeted her next weapon and stood.

"That's very kind of you, Sirius. Here, have some potatoes!" She submerged her hand in the bowl and launched a handful of mashed potatoes at Sirius. The clump splattered right in his face, but he quickly swiped it off and jumped up. Grabbing a handful of the nearest food, he threw it at Usagi, who jumped to the side to avoid it. It connected with the back of a boy's head that was sitting one table over and his head lurched forward into his soup.

The boy sat in shock for a moment before he turned with his bowl of soup and splashed it all over several Gryffindors sitting near Sirius. From there, it progressed in to an all out food fight, but two of the participants still concentrated on hitting each other. Usagi hopped over the Ravenclaw table and launched a handful of pasta over her shoulder at Sirius. He ducked, and it landed on top of a first year's head.

Usagi stopped on the other side of the Hufflepuff table, jumped into a seat, and slid under the table with a nearly-full bowl of soup. Sirius jumped onto the table and down on the other side, preparing to cream the rabbit under the table, but she had popped up on the opposing side and thrown the soup all over him. She stood up and laughed before running off down the crowded aisle.

Sirius growled and snatched a goblet filled with ice from the table next to him. With a sinister grin, he set out to locate Usagi. Meanwhile, the teachers were trying to restore order, to no avail.

The blonde bunny slipped up towards the teacher's table as stealthily as possibly, looking around for any surprise attacks. She got nailed in the back of the head with a stray pork chop and cursed. As she turned to repay the culprit, she came face to face with Sirius, who grinned broadly and tugged on the collar of her robes, dumping the whole goblet of ice into the opening.

The whole room silenced as Usagi emitted an ear-piercing shriek and started shaking her robes. Cubes of ice dropped to the stone floor with every frantic flutter, and Sirius collapsed in a nearby seat, laughing his head off. Swallowing all self-dignity, Usagi pulled her collar out again and stuck her arm beneath her robes, trying to dig out the ice that had gotten stuck around her cleavage.

One of the professors, the head of the Gryffindor house, approached the two and cleared her throat. Sirius looked up, startled, and gulped so hard that it made his Adam's apple wiggle. Usagi continued to dance around like an idiot, oblivious to the woman. That is, until she grabbed a hold of her arm and made the blonde freeze, figuratively.

"MissMoon, kindly end your display." The woman reprimanded.

"Yes ma'am." Usagi grumbled, pulling her arm away.

"Now, since the two of you seem to take so much pleasure in creating chaos, it's only fair that you two clean up after yourselves. Both of you will restore this hall to its pristine perfection without the aid of magic before you turn in tonight." The woman said with a sarcastic-like pleasant smile. The headmaster rose from his seat.

"As for the rest of you, off to bed. Dinner is over for tonight." He announced. The students grumbled and slowly began to congregate with their houses. They wandered off to bed, Lily sending an apologetic glance at Usagi before leaving to the Gryffindor commons. The teachers dispersed as the caretaker arrived with rags, mops, brooms, and cleaning agents. Usagi and Sirius glared at each other, and then surveyed the materials with a high level of loathing.

"I would help you, Usagi, but I think Quigley is going to be checking in on you guys. Sorry," the caretaker apologized.

"It's okay Mr. Brown, we can handle it." Usagi replied with a smile. The caretaker returned the gesture and moved out of the room slowly. Usagi shot another contemptuous glance at Sirius before snatching up a broom and getting to work. Sirius joined her, grumbling in protest.

"I don't know why you're so mad at me, you started the whole thing." He said, and frowned as the broom in his hands smeared the mashed potatoes on the floor.

"Yeah, but if you hadn't poured ice down my robes we could've gotten away with it." Usagi shot back, tossing a pork chop into the trashcan.

"You didn't have to have a fit, it was just ice." Sirius retorted.

"It was cold!" Usagi yelled, swinging her broom at his head. He ducked and saved himself a concussion while Usagi turned back and began cleaning again. "I can't believe Quigley won't let us use any magic."

"I know. We're going to be here all night." Sirius complained, shoveling the heap of mashed potatoes into the trash with his broom.

"Yeah. Truce?" Usagi proposed, copying his idea and scooping the heap of food into the garbage.

"For now," Sirius agreed. With another remorseful sigh at the pandemonium before them, they set to work on cleaning at full speed. Despite all the team effort, cooperation, and several sneaked cleaning spells, it took them quite a long time to clean the place up completely. Quigley marched back into the room at the instant the two were finished, which made them both share a look of surprise.

"You've done a...mediocre job. Then again, what else could I expect from you two? You may go to bed; I expect to see you in my class tomorrow morning." Quigley added before turning on her heel and leaving. Usagi looked like she was ready to faint.

"No way! She wants us in class tomorrow? It has to be three or four in the morning, we'll never get enough sleep." She cried indignantly. Sirius shook his head.

"Come on, let's go. Complaining about it isn't going to change it." He said, walking off. Usagi ran after him.

"Don't pretend like you're not mad too!" She argued. Sirius didn't answer, which made Usagi even angrier. Silently fuming, she followed him all the way to the Gryffindor commons, where they found Lily sitting next to the portrait fast asleep. Usagi bent down and shook her friend awake.

"Hey," Lily greeted, stifling a yawn and rubbing her eyes. "I figured you'd need the password."

"Yeah, what is it?" Usagi asked, helping her to her feet.

"Potatoes," Lily said, grinning as both Usagi and Sirius groaned. The portrait swung forward and the trio entered the empty commons area. Sirius turned and climbed the stairs to the boys' dormitory without as much as a good night. Lily raised an eyebrow.

"You guys fight again?" She asked. Usagi nodded and headed towards the girls' dormitory without an explanation. Shaking her head, Lily followed. Usagi sprawled onto her four-poster bed and placed a pillow over her head, letting out a muffled yell into the cushion. "You guys are adorable together." Usagi lifted the pillow from her face and stared at her best friend in disgust.

"Adorable? As if," she said, turning onto her side and pulling the covers over her without changing into her pajamas.

"Then why are you always trying to get his attention, Usagi?" Lily asked innocently, climbing into her bed as well and looking over at her blonde companion.

"I'm not always trying to get his attention! He's just fun to annoy." Usagi defended. Lily rolled her eyes.

"You are as stubborn as a mule. I'm not going to argue with you, Usa, but keep in mind that this is our last year at Hogwarts and may be your last chance. Now go to sleep." Lily instructed, turning over and facing the other direction. Usagi blinked and rolled onto her back. '_The day of graduation..._' She closed her eyes, shaking her head to banish the thought.

"Maybe..." Usagi yawned and rolled back onto her side, falling asleep almost instantly.

* * *

Muahahahaha! Okay, so it's not as long as I'd planned. -looks embarrassed- The truth is, I'm going out of town tomorrow and I wanted to post something before I left. I'll only be gone for a week, and I'll start working on it as soon as I get back. Heck, I might even work on it at my cousins; we're probably going to be lying around a lot.

Anyways, I got a lot of feedback last chapter and I was **really** excited. Should I bring in a character for Remy? I got a request from a reviewer but I just don't know. I can't really bring in one of the scouts because it would mess up the plot that I'm molding, but I could make up a character I guess. Please share your opinion, it would be appreciated.

Feel free to ask me any questions; I'll answer them to the best of my ability. Suggestions are welcomed, flames are welcomed, and criticism is welcomed. Pretty much anything is welcome, huh? Hope you enjoyed the chapter, see you next time. Review!

-SachiNyoko-


	3. Chapter 3

"Usagi...late." Bombs exploded inside the blonde's head at the two words she actually caught out of her friends statement. She couldn't have jumped out of her bed any faster if it was crawling with roaches. Lily laughed at the spectacle her best friend put on. No matter how many mornings it happened, it never ceased to be amusing.

"How late? Can I make it?" Usagi questioned frantically, throwing the contents of her trunk everywhere in an effort to locate her clean set of robes. Lily watched wordlessly for a few moments, amusement twinkling in her eyes.

"Calm down, you're on time, I made sure of it." She finally said, making Usagi freeze. The teenager turned around slowly with a look of bewilderment on her face.

"Y-You mean...I could have slept for another half hour?" She asked with her eyes wide. Lily nodded.

"Yes, but you're not going to today unless you want to be beheaded by Quigley. Now step on it so you can get a shower." She instructed. Usagi looked down at her robes, which still had a large gravy stain in the center from the night before. Lifting the cloth to her nose, she sniffed, then wrinkled her nose up.

"You're right, I smell." Usagi confirmed, picking up her clean robes from the floor where she had dropped them several moments before. "These are from 4th year though, I think I've outgrown them."

"Nah, you've barely grown three inches since our 4th year." Lily said, grinning. Usagi hurled her pillow at the amused girl.

"Ha ha, very funny." She stuck out her tongue and headed to the bathroom, ducking just in time to dodge Lily's counter attack. "Not quite fast enough, Lily dearest." As soon as she said it, a pillow collided with the back of her head, and Lily laughed behind her.

* * *

Usagi stared in shock at the black-haired boy in front of her. Sirius stared back blankly, and looked on the verge of going unconscious from sleep deprivation.

"I cannot believe that you are on time, it's unbelievable." Usagi said numbly.

"It's not as outrageous as you being on time, quaffle head." Sirius sneered. Usagi let out a groan of frustration and found the farthest desk away from him just as Quigley walked in the room. Lily slipped into a seat quickly while the professor was still looking down, one between James and Sirius.

"Good morning, class. This year, your final year in the Defense Against the Dark Arts, I've decided to revise my teaching methods slightly." Quigley greeted. The class gulped apprehensively; 'slightly' could mean anything to Quigley.

The woman raised her wand with a fake smile, and gave the wooden object a slight twitch. Every set of two desks slammed together with a syncronized crack. The students blinked in surprise, some nursed smashed fingers, and looked right at the person next to them, puzzled.

"Meet your partner, the person you'll be working with the rest of the year. Yes, the ministry believes that teamwork can increase the learning experiences of today's students. Personally, I think you're all lost causes but I'm not one to object to the ministry's wishes." Quigley said pleasantly. Bracing herself, Usagi turned her head towards the person next to her.

'_Oh Jesus._'

"Well, if it isn't dead head." The brunette girl smiled maliciously. Usagi rolled her eyes.

"If anyone's brain dead here it's you, Kristen. The highest thought point in your day involves what lipstick color you're going to wear." She shot back with an equally evil grin. "It must be hard, maintaining your reputation as the school slut."

"Oh, big words coming from someone who hangs out with four guys at the same time." Kristen retorted.

"You're right, Kristen, for once. I'm amazed. Yes, I do hang out with four guys, but I'm not making out with them every two minutes." Usagi replied curtly.

"Moon, close your mouth or meet me this afternoon for detention." Quigley snapped. Deciding that she didn't want detention so soon, Usagi plopped back into her seat and glared at the wall.

"Now, your first assignment is to get to know your partner," Quigley began, and a few duos looked hopeful, "and then write a report on everything you learn. It should be 14 inches, small font, and presented in front of the class in two days."

"God, if you're out there, show a little bit of mercy and strike me down." Usagi muttered to herself, banging her head down on the top of her desk.

* * *

"You guys, this is absolutely terrible." The blonde announced at lunch, chewing on her food resentfully.

"Tell me about it, I'm stuck with Snivelus as my partner. Snivelus!" James complained, looking just as peeved as Usagi. Lily looked over at her.

"I got off easy, I'm paired with Sirius." She shrugged. Remus nodded.

"I'm paired with Peter." He said.

"Don't rub it in." Usagi grumbled.

"See what happens when you get all melodramatic and pitch a fit? If you wouldn't have got all bitchy you might be paired with someone else right now." Sirius said.

"Who, you? Big improvement there. Besides, you were being an arse, don't pretend like you're the innocent one here." Usagi snapped.

"You started the whole thing! You always start the argument and then blame it on me when something like this happens. I'm not responsible for your temper." Sirius retorted.

"Guys, guys! Shut up and stop arguing for one moment." James cut in with annoyance, effectively preventing an all out war. The group turned its attention towards him. "Listen, I think I know how we can choose our own partners, and maybe even a few other people's as well."

"Really?" Usagi asked, ecstatic.

"Yes, but you two are going to have to get along long enough to pull it off." James said with pointed look at Sirius and Usagi, who was just about to dump her drink all over said boy's head. She jerked it back instantly when Sirius looked over at her and smiled sweetly.

"Alright, fine." He sighed.

"I think I could put up with Siri for a few hours." Usagi said cheerfully.

"Why can't you stop calling me that?" Sirius grumbled.

"Because I like it." Usagi replied.

"Well I don't!" Sirius retorted.

"Guys! Do you not have a grasp on the concept of getting along?" James interrupted, glaring at the two of them. They both quieted.

"Sorry, I won't call you Siri anymore." Usagi sighed.

"Thank you." Sirius answered, sounding somewhat greatful.

"It was such a good name too." Usagi said regretfully.

"Alright now, that's settled. What's the plan?" Lily asked. They all leaned in as James began to explain his idea.

* * *

"This is creepy." Usagi commented as her and Sirius kept a look out for any sign of an authority figure, both scanning the map in their hands intently. "I'm glad they didn't send me inside."

"They didn't send you inside because your clumsy as all hell. Keep quiet." Sirius said with annoyance. Usagi looked over at him indignantly.

"Oh, and you're mister graceful?" She asked sarcastically.

"I'm not in there either, am I?" Sirius shot back, glaring at her.

"I don't know why you didn't just go with Lily, she's your partner after all." Usagi muttered angrily to herself. Sirius raised an eyebrow as he picked up the muffled statement.

"What's that supposed to mean? Are you jealous or something?" He asked.

"Yeah right. I don't get jealous of my best friend, especially not over you." Usagi snapped, rolling her eyes. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "However, I seem to recall a certain someone getting quite jealous in the Entrance Hall last night."

"What are blathering about now?" Sirius questioned, looking over at the grinning blonde.

"Oh, there's no point in denying it, Siri...us. I saw the whole scene. If James hadn't stopped you that guy would've had a face full of your fist." Usagi said mirthfully. "Could it be that your secretly in love with me?"

"Get over yourself, that guy was a jackass, I was just going to put him in his place." Sirius said, rolling his eyes.

"Whatever." Usagi shrugged nonchalantly, still grinning to herself. Sirius frowned to himself as he looked down the hall. When James and Remus appeared beside them, it nearly made him jump out of his skin.

"We got the book." Remus declared, holding the thin volume up. Usagi gagged as she looked at the cover, slapping her hand over her mouth to keep from throwing up. Sirius look quite disgusted as well.

"Aw, that's nasty." Usagi said, glancing at the cover again. "I didn't even know the wizarding world had magazines like that."

"How'd you find out about this, James?" Sirius asked.

"I found it in her desk one day while I was cleaning the room for detention. I had nightmares for two weeks." James explained. Lily and Peter joined them.

"You guys got it?" Lily inquired.

"Yeah." James confirmed, showing it to her.

"Jesus, put it away." Lily screeched, covering her eyes. James rolled up the magazine and tucked it away, as instructed.

"Why would Quigley keep something like that in her desk anyways, you'd think she'd stash it somewhere." Sirius commented.

"Who cares, let's get out of here before she shows up." Usagi said. The group nodded in agreement.

"We'll schedule a surprise meeting with Quigley tomorrow morning, before class." James informed.

"Aww man, I have to wake up early?" Usagi whined.

"Yes," James nodded. Usagi sighed.

"Fine, see you guys then." She said in defeat. They all headed back to the Gryffindor commons with the next day fresh on their minds.

* * *

Aloha. La la la. I'm on vacation still, but I just got it in my head to work on this story. I've been mostly working on Time, trying to give my readers heart attacks with all the new information.

I've decided to push the actual 'Quigley meeting' into next chapter. Why? Several reasons, mostly cause I'm mean. I'm sure that quite a few of you have already caught on to what's going on.

Also, someone pointed out to me that McGonagall was in fact the head of the Gryffindor house during the Marauders era. I wasn't sure, but it looks like she's just going to be a teacher in this story. Was Dumbledore headmaster then, or was it that other guy?

I typed this on notepad so sorry if it's a little screwy. Review!

§SachiNyoko§ "Of course I'm out of my mind. It's dark and scary in there."


	4. Chapter 4

Usagi yawned widely, stretching her arms out in front of her as far as they would go, before reeling them back in to rub at her eyes. Sirius was half asleep, sprawled over one of Quigley's desks and on the brink of snoring. James was holding the folded magazine in his hands, his eyes drooping lazily every few minutes. Lily looked relatively awake, standing next to Remus, but every few moments she would sway on her feet.

Remus and Peter were having some conversation about a homework assignment, but no one seemed to care, not even them. They all started when the doorknob rattled, and weren't disappointed as Professor Quigley walked in the room, her lips in a thin line. Briefly, Usagi wondered if the woman had ever smiled in her life. As soon as her eyes caught sight of the Marauder gang, she reverted to a dark glare.

"What are you doing in my class room at this hour?" Suddenly, everyone was wide awake as they stared at Quigley silently. James hopped down from his seat on top of one of the desks, smiling mischievously up at their head of house.

"We just thought you might like this returned," He said, putting on a false sugary tone as he unraveled the magazine in his hand. One glimpse at the cover was all it took to turn Quigley's face a ghostly pale. Her eyes swiveled to the drawers on her desk and back at the black-haired boy smiling in front of her.

"How did you...?" Her voice faded. James shook his head lightly, assuring he wasn't going to give up that tidbit of information, and held the magazine higher for emphasis.

"I wonder...does Dumbledore know about your previous occupation? Would a teacher with this kind of history be accepted amongst the Hogwarts staff?" Quigley's lips pursed thinner with internal rage as she glared at the magazine cover and James jointly.

"That was thirty years ago." She seethed, walking closer to the blue-eyed boy. James reflexively stepped back, still grinning like a Cheshire cat. The rest of the Marauder gang let him run the show, looking on in amusement at the pained expression Quigley was displaying. "What do you want, Potter?"

"Let us swap partners in your class however we want and this stays a secret." James said simply, pointing to the magazine. Quigley visibly huffed, her angry glare returning.

"There's no way I would let you do that. Never in a million years." She spat, reaching for the magazine. James stepped back quickly, out of her reach, and shook his head.

"Well, it looks like we have no choice than to visit the headmaster. I'm sure he'll be interested in this." The boy clicked his tongue with false regret, rolling the magazine and sticking it back in his robes. Usagi slid off of the desk she was sitting on and Sirius stood from his. Remus, Lily, and Peter all gathered by the door, joined immediately by James, Sirius, and Usagi.

"Ta ta, Quigley," the blonde girl waved cheerfully as Lily reached for the door handle. Looking around frantically, Quigley submitted and called out 'wait!' Grinning wider than ever, the Marauders stopped and turned back towards the head of the Gryffindor house. With a sigh, she pointed at the small stack of parchment resting on her desk.

"That's the list of partners for every class. Change it quickly and get out." Usagi let out a cheer and dragged Lily over to the desk with her. The two flipped through the pages, quickly locating their class.

"I'm putting you with Sirius," Lily whispered, crossing out Kristen's name next to Usagi's and replacing it with Sirius Black. The blonde's blue eyes widened in shock before she scowled at her green-eyed companion menacingly, causing Lily to giggle.

"No way! If you put me with Sirius then I'm putting you with James!" Usagi declared, snatching the quill and scribbling out Sirius's name next to Lily's. In scrawled cursive she wrote James Potter. Lily flushed, whether from anger or embarrassment was unclear, and pulled the quill back in her hands.

"What are you two doing?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow at the two girls. They were whispering angrily back and forth, scribbling all over the parchment in front of them. James stepped forward with a frown.

"Don't we get a say in this?" He asked, pointing to the magazine as if to say 'this _was_ my idea.'

"No!" Lily and Usagi snapped simultaneously, sending glares over their shoulders. James gulped and backed away, not really up to the prospect of arguing with Lily and Usagi at once.

"Look, we'll just pair me and you together. We'll stick James and Sirius together since their both major asses. Remus and Peter can stay together and...Doesn't Snivelus have a stalker obsession with Kristen?" Usagi asked, raising her voice so the whole gang could hear her.

"Yes, but Kristen hates his guts." Sirius offered, shrugging. Usagi grinned from ear to ear and scrawled something else on the parchment in front of her, which caused Lily to grin identically beside her. The blonde smiled triumphantly and handed the list to James. The rest of the Marauders scanned it, wondering why there were so many scribble marks everywhere. They placed the list back on Quigley's desk and turned to leave before said woman called them back a second time.

"Aren't you going to leave the...you know...aren't you going to leave it here?" She asked. Sirius arched an eyebrow at her.

"Why, so you can just change the list back when we don't have anything against you? I think we'll hold on to it." He said, and the group left Quigley's room in a considerably cheerful mood. That is, until Usagi remembered they had classes in an hour.

"What's our first class today?" She inquired, looking over at her companions.

"Double Potions," Peter piped in, and the rest of them heaved a collective groan.

"Ugh...no more Narcissa and Lucius," Usagi pleaded, sticking her finger in her mouth to simulate a gagging motion. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"It's not right that they have make-out sessions in the back of the class and the teacher doesn't say anything." Lily protested, shuddering at the thought. They entered the Great Hall for breakfast, each one dreading first class.

"Isn't our Double Potions usually in the afternoon?" James asked, pulling out his schedule to check.

"They want us to hurl our breakfast is all. That's why they changed it." Sirius offered glumly, filling his plate with food regardless. The Marauders were distracted from their misfortune as a girl with dark brown hair sat dangerously close to Sirius and stared up at him.

"Sirius, what do you say we skip first class today and...go for a walk?" The girl grinned playfully as she snaked her arms around the black-haired boy's neck. Across the table, Usagi rolled her eyes at the display and dug into her eggs viciously, remembering she was quite hungry.

"How about we don't," Sirius replied, pushing the girl's arms off of him.

"But Sirius..." The girl pleaded, pouting up at him. Usagi found herself nearly gagging on her food, something she definitely did not enjoy, and she looked up at the girl haughtily.

"He said no so get it through your thick skull. Your gushing is making me nauseous. " She spat irritably. The brunette girl glared daggers at her before turning her attention to the other head Marauder, who was grinning at his friend's misfortune.

"What about you, James?" She said sweetly, looping her arms around his. James looked down at her with raised eyebrows, but Usagi didn't miss the pained expression that passed over her best friend's face. Slamming her fork down angrily, she jumped to her feet and pointed down the table.

"Why don't you go sit with your other whorish friends and leave us alone?" She exclaimed angrily, making the other girl stand and glare as well. The stared each other down for several moments, the mood of the whole hall suddenly very tense. In a melodramatic huff, the brunette spun on her heels and marched off down the Gryffindor table. Usagi fell back down in her seat and picked up her fork, eating on as if nothing had happened.

"I think Usagi is PMSing." Sirius whispered to James, who snorted in response. The blue-eyed girl glared darkly at him over the table.

"I heard that." She said, making Sirius immediately return to his meal. Sighing, she turned to Lily. "I don't know which is worse; our ruthless stalker guys or their sluttish fangirls."

"Yeah," Lily laughed, dismissing her earlier expression completely. Usagi looked over at James to see if he'd noticed anything, only to find him shoving a whole piece of toast in his mouth on Sirius's dare. She rolled her eyes. '_Those two are never going to get together on their own. That much is obvious. Looks like I'm going to have to help them along a bit._'

"What the hell are you grinning about? We're headed to Double Potions, remember?" Sirius called in her ear, making her eye twitch. Somewhere in between her scheming, breakfast had ended and the group was headed down to the dungeons.

"I can grin whenever I damn well please." She growled, smacking him in the back of the head. He cursed and glared at her as the walked into the dreaded Potions class, taking their usual seats as far away from both the professor and Lucius as possible. Usagi opted to sit by Remus rather than Sirius and smiled over at the werewolf as she did so. "Mind if I sit with you Remus?"

"Not at all," He smiled back, moving his things around so she'd have more room. Before the two could strike up conversation, their potions teacher entered the room. Instantly, the students got silent as the man walked up to the front of the room and glared at the group. With a flick of his wand, instructions for potion brewing appeared on the blackboard behind him. Taking the hint, the students set up their cauldrons and set to work wordlessly.

As soon as the dull hum of whispers set over the class, Usagi leaned in closer to Remus. "Have your transformations still been going okay?"

"Yes," The brown-haired boy nodded, smiling gently at her. "What about you?"

"Well, Bane is still giving me some trouble. I don't know what to do about it, Remus. It was last year, so maybe he'll leave me alone this year." Usagi sighed as she dumped the diced plant in the cauldron and watched it swirl into a dark red color. Remus looked at his blonde friend with concern, stirring their potion distractedly.

"What are you two talking about over here?" Lily asked, sliding over to their table quietly. She looked up at the professor to make she was undetected before turning to the duo beside her for an answer. Usagi immediately shrugged, concentrating on grinding the beetles in front of her into powder.

"It was nothing important."

"It looked pretty important." Sirius cut in, also dragging his chair over. Usagi fidgeted under her friends' scrutiny, knowing Remus wasn't going to respond, and quickly invented a convincing lie.

"We were discussing whether we should hex Lucius and Narcissa, their display is ever sickening." She explained.

"You looked kind of serious." Sirius pressed, obviously not buying into it. Usagi wrinkled her nose and pointed her thumb in the pair's direction.

"That's nothing to laugh about." She said flatly. Lily made a gagging noise as she looked over at the two, swapping spit shamelessly, and they nodded in agreement with Usagi's statement.

"Black, Evans, back to your own table or a week of detention." The professor snapped. Sirius and Lily jumped and immediately retreated to their table. Usagi sighed, sprinkling the powdered insects into the potion.

"I kind of wish I could hang with you when you were a werewolf. How come you won't tell me who you're with?" Her blue-eyes searched Remus's for an answer, but he just smiled and shook his head lightly.

"I've been sworn to secrecy, especially from you." He smiled apologetically. Usagi groaned with false annoyance.

"You need to ditch them one day and hang out with me. It gets boring in the Forbidden forest with just Bane driving me crazy." Usagi laughed, and Remus laughed with her as they bottled their potion. One table over, a certain gray-eyed boy was still seething.

"Why does she have to be so moody all the time? Since when has she been such good friends with Remus anyway?" He grumbled to himself, crushing the beetles on the desk a little harder than was necessary. Lily watched the spectacle, her green eyes twinkling merrily.

"Jealous, much? Usagi and Remus have been good friends ever since she found out he was a werewolf back in our...um...third year? Don't you remember?" Sirius looked peeved over the jealousy comment, but as he mulled over her words, he realized she was right. When Usagi found out about Moony's curse, it brought them closer for reasons unknown to him. Maybe he'd ask Moony about it later.

"Besides, it doesn't help that every time you speak to her the crudest things come flying out of your mouth." Lily went on, brushing the finely powdered beetles from the table to the cauldron. Sirius looked at her sharply.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked indignantly, making Lily roll her eyes at him.

"Oh please, you're telling me you don't think 'what the hell are you grinning about' is a little on the crude side? I can't believe both of you are this dense." The red-head sighed dramatically as she bottled their potion.

"What are you going on about now?" Sirius asked, looking somewhat agitated.

"Oh please, don't tell me you don't like Usagi." Lily said. Sirius's eyes widened considerably.

"You're kidding right? You think that I like that immature, annoying, air-headed girl? As if!" He'd gotten so disoriented that he didn't realize he'd been shouting, That is, until Usagi's hand connected with the side of his face.

"You are such an inconsiderate, arrogant JERK! Don't ever talk to me again! I hate you!" Usagi turned on her heel and stormed from the dungeons, leaving a stunned classroom in her wake.

"Not a very smooth move, Sirius."

"Shut up, James." Sirius snapped at his black-haired friend, who immediately clamped his mouth shut. Lily shook her head and stood from her seat, running off after her friend. The professor was standing at the head of the class, too disgusted for words.

* * *

OMG! Ha ha, I finally updated. I realized I never specified what kind of magazine the used for blackmail but...if you haven't figured it out then I wouldn't want to taint your innocent mind. I'm sorry it took so long. I just kept putting this off. Very soon I'm going to have Usagi put her matchmaking skills to work on Lily and James, which is sure to incite some very awkward situations. 

Also, I realized, I'm just writing this story for fun, because I love writing it, so don't expect it to be the best written story in the world. I'm not really trying my hardest. -.-; Let's see...about the thing Remy and Usa were discussing in potions class. It's foreshadowing for something that will happen later in the story. You're going to have to wait to find out. I'll tell you now, though, Usagi isn't a werewolf. In the mean time, review!

-SachiNyoko- "Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business." (Marauder's Map, Book 3)


	5. Chapter 5

**This chapter is dedicated to S. Nestor, for her recent birthday. If you haven't read her story, _The Hearts_, do!**

* * *

"Usagi?" Lily walked slowly towards the lake, her eyes searching the trees near the bank for her blonde-haired friend. True to her instincts, Usagi was sitting under a large oak tree, legs pulled in close to her chest. She was glaring at her knees, her lips curled into an angry scowl. 

"I hate him, Lily," She said bitterly, sensing her friend's presence before she stepped into her line of vision. The red-head frowned, plopping down next to the blonde and looking out over the lake. Choosing to stay silent, she moved her green eyes lazily over the scenery while she waited for Usagi to speak again.

"He's such a jerk." Her tone was no longer angry, she just sounded exhausted. Leaning back into the tree, Usagi stared up at the sky through the foliage and sighed. Lily plucked at her robes as she realized something. The reason her best friend wouldn't admit her feelings for Sirius was a whole lot clearer to her now.

"He didn't mean it, Usa." She offered, turning her head towards the blonde girl. Her blue eyes clouded over before she closed them, placing her palms against her forehead and exhaling heavily. She took another deep breath, held it for a few seconds, and exhaled in the same pattern.

"I know he didn't." Was all she said, but Lily knew the other half of that statement without it being voiced out loud. '_He never does._' Without hesitation, she pulled her friend into a hug.

"Don't give up, Usa." She whispered, and the blonde didn't even protest. She returned the hug gratefully, and they stayed still for several moments, until a loud voice interrupted them.

"Alright, we've got girl on girl action over here." Usagi's eyes snapped open, and being on the short fuse she was, found herself seeing red. She jumped to her feet, breaking away from Lily in the process, and glared angrily at the boy. She had no clue what his name was, but she knew he was in her year.

"Now is _not_ the time, so I suggest you leave." She growled, narrowing her eyes as said boy grinned and walked closer to her. Her shoulders stiffened automatically as he looped his arm around her, and her fists clenched at her sides.

"Aw, come on, I was just joking. I wanted to ask you out is all," He said flippantly, twirling her hair with his fingers. Usagi paused, imagining the look on Sirius's face if she walked in the Great Hall latched on to this boy like some human leech. She grinned for a moment, before scowling. How petty was that, _really_? She reeled her arm back and slugged the guy in the jaw, enjoying the stab of pain that cut through her hand.

Behind her, she heard Lily snort with laughter, and she grinned from ear to ear. Shaking her hand to ease the pain, she watched with satisfaction as the boy rubbed his swelling jaw.

"You picked a bad day to screw with me, lover boy. Come on, Lily." The red-head nodded, stepping to her feet and shaking with silent laughter. As soon as they crossed into the empty Entrance Hall, the two of them collapsed in hysterics, leaning against each other for support.

"Usa, I've seen you do some crazy things before, but...but never punch a guy." Lily laughed, gasping for air in between her laughter. Usagi held up her hand, her knuckles flaming red, still cracking up.

"It hurt pretty bad, trust me. It was so worth it though." She replied, her laughs slacking somewhat.

"Evans! MOON!" The two girls froze, turning slowly towards the entrance to the Great Hall. They met the angry gaze of Quigley and concurrently gulped. She marched closer to the duo, her mouth thinner than seemed humanly possible.

"Ma'am?" Lily asked steadily, nearly flinching under the woman's glare.

"You two, along with Sirius Black, lost 50 points **_each_** from the Gryffindor house, not to mention earned a week of detention. An explanation, _please_?" Quigley spat, her teeth gritted with frustration as the two in front of her shared an amused glance. Usagi felt like rolling her eyes, who cares? If they didn't lose the points all at once they'd lose them slowly, either way Gryffindor never won the House Cup.

"Sorry, ma'am. It won't happen again." The blonde assured, grabbing on to Lily's arm. "We don't want to be late for second class so we'll see you around _Candi_." Usagi grinned widely at Quigley's crushed expression before she dragged her friend towards the dungeons.

* * *

Usagi pushed her homework off her bed grudgingly, watching with satisfaction as the parchment scattered across the dormitory floor. One of her room mates let out an indignant huff at the mess, but the blonde shot a nasty glance her way and she quieted. Aside from Lily, most of the female population hated her simply for the fact that she hung out with the infamous Marauders. 

She never minded, though, because Lily had been her first and very best friend. Who else did she need, really? The reason the Marauders hung out with Lily and Usagi is because they were the only girls in school who didn't go into a fit of giggles at the sight of them. Regardless, Usagi wasn't about to let herself be so bent out of shape that she would actually finish her homework. That stupid, egotistical jerk was **not** going to get under her skin.

'_Too late for that,_' her mind prodded. She glowered at the air in front of her and kicked her trunk, making the other girl in the room jump in surprise, and the object on top of her trunk tipped onto the floor as well. Usagi bent and picked up the paper-bound booklet, a muggle calendar, and flipped it open. Her eyes traveled to the window, into the sky, as she remembered what night fall brought; the full moon.

* * *

With a wary sniff into the night air, Padfoot sauntered through the Forbidden Forest with his senses sharp. Though he'd come from a meeting with Moony and the others, his mind felt shaken and confused; a midnight stroll seemed like just the cure to ease his tension. The forest felt unusually quiet for this time of night, which was more disturbing than it being particularly sinister. 

As Padfoot wandered aimlessly through the trees, a strangely familiar scent reached his nose. He couldn't pinpoint it, but it didn't smell like anything that would be in the forest, especially at such a dark hour. Crouching low to the ground, he crept closer to the clearing up ahead and peered through the bushes at the lake beyond. There, crouched on the shoreline, was a hooded figure with its head facing the water.

Padfoot stuck his nose in the air and sniffed again. The light scent of perfume signaled that the person was female. As he stepped closer to get a better view, a twig snapped underneath his paw, which made the person jump and turn towards him. Shadows made it impossible to see anything under the hood as the being rose to its feet and withdrew a wand. Padfoot made the move to pounce, and launched himself out of the bushes at the stranger. The person stumbled backwards in shock and tripped over an idle rock, landing painfully.

"Ouch!" The voice cried, jumping back to their feet with wand at the ready. Padfoot was quicker, however, and had already leaped towards them. With a grunt of surprise, the person hit the soft ground again and their hood flew back far enough to show their face. The black dog would've gasped if he was in human form, but thankfully he wasn't. Big blue eyes stared up at him in shock.

"Okay, you're almost as heavy as Sirius, please get off." She said after realizing the animal wasn't about to attack her. The black dog snarled and backed off of the blonde teenager. Usagi sat up and reached for her wand, which caused Padfoot to bark, and in turn made her jump.

"Whoa, it's okay. I'll leave that there then. Sorry I scared you; I thought you were someone else." She said, turning back to the dog in front of her. Padfoot tilted his head to the side. Who was she talking about? Was she meeting someone out here? He didn't know what was going on.

"It looks like he's not bothering me today, so that's good." Usagi shrugged and wiped at her eyes. Padfoot had to look closer to see that she indeed had tears collected on her cheeks, and this confused him even further. She turned her cerulean eyes back towards him and smiled. He noticed, for the first time, there was a glinting crescent mood in the middle of her forehead. Where did that come from?

"You're so pretty, I've never seen you in the forest before. Can I pet you?" Usagi moved forward and reached her hand out towards him. Padfoot hesitated before touching his muzzle to her fingers. She stroked her hand over his head and scratched behind his ears. Despite himself, Padfoot began wagging his tail. Usagi smiled contentedly.

Behind them, the bushes began rustling again. Padfoot's ears perked up and he turned his head towards the noise with a low growl in the back of his throat. Usagi froze and looked towards the noise as well, a desperate expression written on her face. A hoofed leg stepped into the clearing, quickly trailed by the accompanying three. Usagi bowed her head as the centaur looked at her, closing her eyes. Padfoot looked between them, still clueless.

"Bane," she greeted quietly. His eyes flickered dangerously towards Padfoot and then back at Usagi.

"Serenity," Bane nodded curtly in greeting.

"I'm not Serenity, I don't even know who that is, Bane. All I ask of you is an hour of peace and quiet in the forest." Usagi growled, keeping her eyes down, mostly so she could refrain from glaring at the creature before her.

"I grant you as much, you don't run into anything dangerous do you?" Bane questioned tersely.

"Yes, you," Usagi retorted, raising her head to make eye contact with him. "I don't want to deal with this, Bane, and I'm not coming back to the forest anymore." She said flatly. Bane faltered.

"You seem to have grown awfully brave since the last time I saw you, Serenity. Regardless, you can't deny my service to you. Even your guardian has told you this directly." He said heatedly, offended that the blonde would blatantly disrespect him this way.

"I don't care what Sets said, I'm not coming back after tonight." Usagi growled angrily. "She's not my mother, after all, and she's hardly around, except to lay down rules and scold me."

"You don't have any choice!" Bane roared, stomping his front hooves on the ground in anger. He looked like he wanted to charge, but thought better of it as Usagi snatched up her wand and pointed it towards him shakily. Instead, he chuckled. "Now you really are being naive, Serenity."

"I hate you." The blonde said unevenly, her eyes filled with tears. Padfoot had no idea what was happening still, but he held his ground between the two. Bane laughed again and stepped towards her. Padfoot immediately took the defensive, rising to all fours and growling dangerously, his ears down against his head. He didn't like this centaur at all, or how he was treating Usagi. Even though the blonde did get on his nerves, they were friends.

"Foolish boy, you're worse than her. Go play with your werewolf friend and mind your own business." Bane sneered kicking the dog away with its front legs. Sirius yelped as he landed tangled in the bushes that he'd been hiding in earlier. Usagi gasped as she registered what the centaur had said. She turned towards the fallen animal and sprinted towards it.

"I knew there was something familiar about you. Sirius, what were you thinking?" She whispered as the dog limped out of the bushes. "Stay here." Usagi stood and turned, a blazing anger in her eyes as she raised her wand towards Bane again, this time without hesitation or fear.

"Serenity, really," Bane chuckled. Her blue eyes narrowed as the crescent moon on her forehead flickered to life.

"I will kill you if I have to." She said darkly. Bane tried to appear unfazed by this, but there was still a hint of fear in his voice as he spoke.

"You'll regret your decision soon, Serenity." He turned and galloped into the forest. Usagi sighed heavily as her moon insignia dulled and disappeared. She turned back towards the black dog to see that it had already been limping away. It didn't take her long to catch up.

"Sirius, don't be stubborn. Turn back into a human so I can help you." She pleaded. Padfoot growled and slowly began morphing back to his human state, which caught Usagi by surprise. "Wow, I thought it would take a while to convince you."

"Don't be stupid. I want to know what that was about." Sirius said flatly.

"It's none of your business." Usagi retorted defensively.

"It is now." Sirius shot back. Usagi opened her mouth to argue with him, but closed it and sighed instead.

"You know whatever. I don't feel like arguing. Bane has been helping me have 'alone time' in the forest since our first year, only it isn't really alone time because he never leaves me alone. Why do I need alone time? I have some weird connection to the moon that Sets, my guardian, won't tell me about. It means I have to absorb power from the full moon or I get weak." She connected gazes with Sirius again, and for a moment, wanted to burst out laughing. Obviously he hadn't grasped anything she'd just said.

"Connection to the moon," he repeated slowly, "Is that why you're such good friends with Remus?"

"Well, yes and no. That's how we became good friends, but it's not why we stay friends." Usagi replied, stifling a giggle at the look Sirius gave her. "I realize your concept of friendship is different from mine."

"Whatever."

"How come you never told me you were an animagus?" The blonde asked, and suddenly, she had an epiphany. "You're the one who's been hanging out with Remy! Is James and Peter with you guys, too?"

"Yes," Sirius answered grumpily, trying to get to his feet again. Usagi rolled her eyes at him and pulled him back down.

"Come on, doofus, you're hurt. Swallow you're pride now, 'cause I'm helping you back to the castle." The blonde grinned, pulled his arm around her shoulder, and tried to lift him to his feet. After a few seconds, she huffed and glared at him. "Cooperation please?"

"No way," Gritting her teeth, the blonde pushed his arm away and stood by herself.

"Fine, walk by yourself. Stubborn jackass." The black-haired boy slowly stood, and after a moment of uncertain balance, moved forward. Despite the look of annoyance on her face, Usagi matched his pace as they headed for the castle.

"You know, I haven't told anyone but Remy about this, so I'd appreciate if you didn't blab." She spoke up, frowning at Sirius's pained expression. He rolled his eyes regardless.

"As if I would."

* * *

Odd drop off point but...whatever. I didn't want to include this part of the story so early, but I couldn't think of anything else to write about so...here it is. Don't think Usagi and Sirius are over their argument yet, they're much too hard-headed for that. You'll see. 

See you next chapter, ne?

SachiNyoko-


	6. Chapter 6

**Dedicated to samisweet! Her wonderful story **"_Perfection: Is it Real?_"** was taken down due the reporting of some very angry/bitter soul, but she's taking the time to rewrite and repost the story. Mad props, yo! -laughs hysterically- Seriously, though, I would never have the motivation, so kudos to you, samisweet.**

* * *

"Pass me the eggs?" 

"Sure." Lily raised her eyebrows about as high as they would go, sharing a look with James. Sirius and Usagi, oblivious to the stares of their friends, ate on blissfully. They weren't exactly friendly, but the absence of routine yelling matches was unnerving. Even Remus appeared unsettled by the sudden truce, glancing at the two between bites of his breakfast. Of course, James was the first to snap.

"Okay guys, what gives? You guys were at each other's throats yesterday and now everything is fine and dandy?" The black-haired boy exclaimed, loudly. The rest of the Gryffindor table stared, causing his cheeks to flush violently under the unwanted attention. Usagi, however, looked over at him dryly.

"Are you saying you want us to fight?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, no, but," James went on, looking more flustered than before. Usagi giggled at him, patting his arm sympathetically.

"James, I think if I got in an argument with Sirius this morning, we would end up killing each other." She explained in all seriousness. Sirius, who'd been silent this whole time, muttered something under his breath which only Usagi seemed to catch. There was a soft 'thud' under the table, and Sirius gritted his teeth in pain, while Usagi went back to seething in her breakfast.

"Well, guys, um...I was thinking on how we could prank Malfoy." James offered, and the group listened to him dutifully as he explained his idea. Usagi tuned the whole thing out, however, worried about more than the blonde twit of Slytherin. No, her anger was much more potent towards the evil, despicable, black-haired asshole of Gryffindor...who was looking at her? Usagi blinked at Sirius in confusion, and he stared back, neither of them glaring as expected.

"What?" She asked, and he shook his head. Subconsciously, her fists clenched, and she slammed them against the table. "I can't take it anymore! You're a stupid, insensitive jerk!"

"No worse than you." Sirius growled.

"That's what I'm talking about!" James said cheerfully, instantly shrinking under the glare the two sent him.

"Shut up, James!" Usagi yelled, snatching up her bag and stomping out of the hall.

"Man, Usagi sure is moody." James grumbled, pushing his hair out of his eyes. Lily opened her mouth to defend her friend, but Dumbledore stood at the staff table, and the Great Hall concurrently silenced. The student body stared up at their headmaster expectantly.

"Students, I have an announcement to make. Professor Candice Quigley resigned this morning." A ripple of comments echoed through the Great Hall, most profound from the Gryffindor table. The Marauder gang exchanged surprised glances. "As such, Professor Minerva McGonagall has agreed to step up as the head of the Gryffindor house. We've called in a substitute teacher to temporarily head the Defense Against the Dark Arts class until we can hire a new teacher. Anyone misbehaving for this substitute will be sent straight to me, so please try to be respectful."

"No way. We got rid of Quigley?" James asked, split between bewildered and ecstatic. Lily frowned at him.

"Not necessarily. She's been here for a while now, so maybe she was already planning to retire." The redhead said, earning collective frowns from James and Sirius.

"Lily, do you have to ruin the moment?" Sirius asked bitterly. Before there could be anymore arguments between them, breakfast adjourned and the group left for class. When they reached it, they were quite surprised to find Usagi quietly reading a book with her feet propped on the desk. James was the first to comment.

"You read?" He quickly realized his inappropriate wordage as Usagi slowly lowered her book, face a dangerous shade of red. It didn't take long to deduct she was angry, not embarrassed, and James ducked behind a desk immediately.

"Yes, James, I've been reading for quite sometime, how wonderful of you to notice." The blonde seethed, shoving her nose back in the novel and refusing to look at any of them. She did give Lily a nod and smile when she sat down next to her, but that was the end of communication. James and Sirius took seats a ways away from the two females, followed by Remus and Peter.

"Man Padfoot, you really pissed her off. I'd apologize if I were you. Last thing you need is Usagi clawing your eyes out over dinner." Remus and James both chuckled at this, surprisingly, relishing in a mental image of such a situation, while Sirius glared at the both of them. Peter looked like he wanted to laugh too, but didn't dare while Sirius looked so...menacing.

"I'm not apologizing. I didn't do anything." Sirius's gray eyes were flashing as he thought back on their arguments the past few days. Though he was very angry, he was a little worried; key word of course being _little_. Sure the two got into rows all the time, but usually it was all in good fun. Something else was bothering the blonde girl, and he guessed a large part of it had to do with that damned centaur.

"Look, I'm not saying you did anything, mate. I just think, for your own personal safety, you should say you're sorry." His thoughts were cut short by James, and he had to admit that his friend had a point. Apologizing, though, was not one of his many specialties.

He shrugged James off and looked over at the source of the ruckus. Usagi appeared to be reading some third-rate romance novel, but it wasn't hard to notice her glazed eyes focused beyond the pages. Something was weighing on her mind, something important, and the worst part about it was that she chose him to take it out on. He certainly didn't enjoy being her personal stress target.

"While you're at it, you can tell her you like her too." James added under his breath, but Sirius had sharp hearing. He glared a dangerous one at his best friend.

"Whatever, right after you admit you're head over heels for Lily." He snapped, causing James to flush with anger. Before another civil war could break out, Remus slammed his book down on the desk, causing immediate silence between them. Things rarely got to Remus, and they definitely didn't want to see him angry.

"Are you two PMSing or what? Stop whining and shut it!" Even Usagi was staring at Remus with open shock. He didn't have to repeat himself, either, because neither James nor Sirius uttered a peep after that. A giggle from Usagi was the only thing heard before their substitute walked into the room. If it weren't for the warning from Dumbledore, the poor guy might've been bombarded with plying parchment balls on the spot. He placed his briefcase on the teacher's desk and smiled very nervously at them.

"Good morning, class. I'm Professor Q-Quirrell, and I'll be r-replacing Professor Quigley f-for the time being." The man's stutter induced some chuckles from the class, which made him very red in the face. Usagi put her crappy novel back in her bag, convinced that she'd barely read a paragraph of it, and watched their substitute sympathetically as he pulled out his wand and promptly dropped it.

"W-Well, according to the lesson p-plan your former teacher left, y-you were working on a p-partner assignment." The whole class groaned, audibly. A shaky smile appeared on Quirrell's lips as he continued. "However, I d-don't really see any significance to the d-defense against dark arts, s-so you aren't required to f-finish it."

Several people cheered, but the marauder gang sighed at all their wasted work to choose partners. On a brighter note, their new teacher didn't seem too bad, definitely better than Quigley. Even though McGonagall was a strict teacher, they preferred her as head of house over Quigley as well. All in all, it worked out for everyone; everyone except Sirius and Usagi, who were still angrier than ever with each other.

As she thought this, though, Usagi noticed a folded piece of parchment resting on her desk. It had her name scrawling in sloppy handwriting on it. She wrinkled her brow, wondering when it had appeared there and who placed it. For one fleeting moment she though it might be Sirius begging for forgiveness, but the mere thought made her snort with laughter. Not to mention, the handwriting was all wrong. Picking the letter up, she slowly unfolded it, reading:

_Usagi,_

_You probably don't know who I am, but my name is Adam. We've been in the same house and year for six years. I know it might seem out of the blue, but I've liked you since first year. I doubt you remember, but we talked several times in potions back then. I've wanted to tell you for a long time, and I know you think I'm one of those stuck up guys who just want to go out with you for your looks, but I'm really not._

_So, I'm asking now. Usagi Moon, would you go out with me?_

Usagi's nose automatically wrinkled up, but she quickly adjusted and looked around. The sender of this letter wasn't terribly hard to find; he was staring at his desk, face impressively red, and glancing towards her every few seconds. When he noticed her gaze, he smiled shyly at her and she smiled back somewhat awkwardly. At the very least, he didn't appear to be anything like most guys who asked her out.

She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. Glancing over at Sirius, she realized he was whispering back and forth with James, paying no attention to her. She wondered half-heartedly how James and Sirius were able to instantly forget their arguments, when the ones between him and her lingered forever. Her blue eyes finally rested back on the letter in her hands.

'_Would it be petty to say yes? Maybe even transparent?_' Usagi hesitated, but turned the note over and picked up her quill. Fingers trembling with hesitation, she wrote out a 'yes' and refolded the letter. Without stopping to reconsider, she passed the note back over to the boy and closed her eyes once more, listening to her heartbeat over the noise of the class.

* * *

-bows apologetically- I'm sorry this is so short. I have no idea when Quirrell came to Hogwarts, but as you can see I've been making this up as I go. McGonagall is back in her rightful position as leader of Gryffindor house and Dumbledore is sitting pretty as headmaster. Hopefully no one is too mad at me for being such a lazy writer, cause with diligence I could've looked it all up. Anyways, did you enjoy Remus getting mad? He should be mad more often. :) 

Oi! -stretches- I'm terribly tired, but I'm stuck in an Omaha tournament. I might be up another hour. -whines- Ah well, see you around! By the way, I did finish this at night but I couldn't upload. -.-;;

♥SachiNyoko♥


	7. Chapter 7

Pulling the strap of her bag over her shoulder, Usagi bee lined for the door to escape Quirrell's classroom. Once she crossed the threshold, however, she realized how childish she was being and paused to wait. It didn't take long for the person she wanted to avoid to appear in the doorway, and she offered him a shaky smile. The boy she now knew as Adam smiled back, walking over to her.

"Hello." He greeted, offering his hand in typical hand shake fashion. Usagi glanced at it, her eyebrows knitted in confusion, before making eye contact with Adam once more. His eyes were bright blue, enough to make the clearest sky jealous.

"I think the hand shake is a little unnecessary at this point." She reasoned, trying to sound as little offensive as possible. Her mind kept asking her what the hell she was doing, and she had to admit she really didn't know. Adam flushed, a very bright red, and lowered his hand.

"I guess you're right." He replied shyly. Usagi couldn't help herself; she giggled at the poor boy's embarrassment and decided on the spot that she liked him, even if it wasn't exactly the way that he wanted. Smiling as brightly as she could to relieve the tension over them, she linked her arm with his and pulled him into walking motion. Her second motivation for this was the unmistakable outline of Sirius exiting Quirrell's classroom, his sharp grey eyes fixed directly on her.

"Don't be nervous, you're making _me_ nervous. I'm pretty sure we have the same class next. Walk me there?" Usagi looked hopefully over at the flustered boy, who simply nodded in response. She exhaled with relief, quickening their pace a little and trying to calm the wild beating in her chest. She'd gotten past Sirius, but there was one obstacle she hadn't considered.

"Usagi! Wait up!" Looking over her shoulder, Usagi felt the strong desire to simply melt away and evaporate. Lily jogged up to her, red hair bouncing with each step, and halted on the side of Usagi where Adam wasn't standing. Her bright green eyes studied the quiet boy, and the way his arm was linked with her best friend's.

"Oh, hey Lily. Sorry, I forgot to wait for you." Usagi laughed nervously, wanting so badly to squirm out of Adam's hold and hide somewhere. Lily would see right through this, there was no doubt in the blonde's mind. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the four marauders approaching them.

"It's okay. Who is this?" Lily asked, pointing towards Adam shamelessly. Usagi mentally cursed her friend for being so blunt, and grinned through the stress eating at her.

"This is Adam, he's um..." Her eyes darted back towards the four, especially Sirius, who was still staring at her. Lily was looking at her expectantly, and Adam was looking on with a somewhat neutral expression. Damn it, even Remus was looking at her with some confusion, as if asking 'why are you touching that guy?' She wanted to scream so, so bad.

"He's my boyfriend." She bit out, wincing as if someone had struck her. Lily's eyes widened, and then they narrowed two seconds later, and the blonde knew the whole thing was transparent. The marauders had stopped in their tracks, and Usagi knew that they were not out of earshot when she made this statement. Swallowing her desperation, she smiled another false smile. "Guys, what's the big deal?"

"She's right, you're all staring like she's grown a second head. We're going to be late for class." Usagi looked at Lily with pure gratitude, but quickly faltered, for the look on the redhead's face promised a grill session later. At the very least, the rest of the group got moving. Usagi avoided Sirius's eyes the whole time, knowing the black-haired boy was just waiting for a chance to mock her.

'_What the hell were you thinking, Usagi?_' Once again, the pigtailed girl smiled encouragingly towards Adam, and he seemed to get a little braver, for he retracted his arm and tangled their fingers together. As she felt the pairs of eyes boring into her, she lowered her head and let out an internal string of curses that would make Satan himself blush.

* * *

Instead of entering the Great Hall and settling in for a much coveted lunch, Usagi found herself being dragged in the opposite direction while waving a feeble goodbye to Adam. Lily pulled her down a completely deserted corridor and whirled her around so they were face to face. Usagi knew by the glint in her friend's green eyes that this wouldn't be good. 

"Usagi, what the _hell_ were you thinking?" The redhead shouted, huffing with frustration. Usagi smiled feebly, shrugging her shoulders lightly. Lily looked like she wanted to faint, but instead she rubbed at her temples and muttered to herself.

"Funny thing, I've been asking myself the same question all day long." The blonde admitted dully, shivering under the angry gaze of her best friend. She was at a complete loss for words at this point, opening and closing her mouth pointlessly. eventually, she found something to say.

"Okay...here's my advice. You've accomplished your goal, Sirius is insane with jealousy. Break it off with the guy before you get in too deep." It was Usagi's turn to be at a loss for words, and she mirrored Lily's expression perfectly.

"Wait a minute, are you implying that I just went out with this guy to make Sirius jealous? How do you know he is, anyway?" Usagi snapped back. Lily rolled her eyes towards the ceiling dramatically.

"Oh please, you don't think that what you're doing isn't obvious. Sirius was glaring daggers at the poor guy all of last class, are you blind or something?" She snapped. Usagi dropped her eyes to the floor, determined not to give in to the swell of emotion in her throat.

"I...don't know. I just don't know what to do anymore, Lily." The redhead softened, her previous anger completely forgotten as she pulled Usagi into a hug.

"I understand that, Usagi, I really do but…this isn't the answer, okay? If you get too involved with this guy, you're going to regret it." Lily explained quietly. Usagi sniffled, and nodded, knowing her friend was right. Laughing lightly, she pulled away and linked her arm with Lily's.

"For the moment, let's get lunch, I'm starved!" The blonde dragged her best friend along as she ran for the Great Hall. Lily smiled, but her eyes still shone with worry as she looked at Usagi. When they entered, Usagi found herself the center of some very unwanted attention, but Lily took over and dragged her onward towards the Gryffindor table. The blonde spotted Adam and shooed Lily off to the rest of the marauders, taking a seat next to her 'boyfriend.'

"Hello," she greeted cheerily. To her surprise, the people around Adam that seemed to be his friends sent her a barrage of nasty looks. She almost winced, but her pride butted in, and she simply grinned through it.

"Usagi, these are my friends Amanda, Luke, David, and Sarah." Adam pointed to each of them, smiling. Usagi smiled somewhat awkwardly, since the four were still blatantly glaring at her, and waved.

"You're girlfriend is pretty stuck up, Adam." The one identified as David announced, making Usagi's eyes widen. It was then that she noted the bruise along his jaw, and she suddenly remembered exactly who this boy was.

"Yeah, aren't you the blonde bimbo that hangs out with James and Sirius all the time?" Amanda asked, smirking as Usagi's mouth dropped into a perfect 'o'. It didn't take long for her rage to take over, though, and she slammed her palms against the table.

"You don't know the first thing about me. Just because you're a slut doesn't mean that I am. And by the way, I've tried talking to both of you several times, and you're the ones who brushed me off. If anyone is stuck up here, it's you." Usagi bit off, glaring at the brunette girl.

"Why don't you say it a little closer, Blondie?" Amanda shouted, jumping to her feet. Usagi followed suit, fully prepared to lunge across the table, when she felt a pair of arms pull her back. Even though her arms were now pinned, she tried to wriggle free and land at least one blow on the girl. The brunette made no move to attack her, though, just sneered at her and the person holding her back.

"What the hell are you doing? Let me go!" Usagi growled, just about ready to head butt the guy and continue on with her fight.

"No, Usagi, what the hell are _you_ doing? Let's go." The blonde froze, completely, making it much easier for Sirius to drag her out of the Hall. She didn't even protest, just stared ahead wide-eyed until the two were alone. Finally, she shrugged him off and glared at him.

"You could've at least let me get one good punch, you know." Though she wanted it to sound angry, all the rage simply drained out of her. She crossed her arms and leaned into the stone wall behind her, watching Sirius with interest. "You're the last person I thought would be holding me back."

"Don't be stupid." Sirius snapped angrily. "You'll just get detention for fighting, it's not even worth it. Can't you get along with anyone?"

"No, not really. Everyone thinks I'm stuck up, and a slut because I hang out with you guys all the time. They're all waiting to pick a fight with me, just like that girl back there." Usagi smiled dully at the surprised look on Sirius's face. "Why do you think Lily is the only girl I hang out with? They think the same thing about her, too, but she doesn't really know that. Every time one of them gets it in their head to say something to Lily, I put them in their place. She's the only best friend I've got; I won't let them get to her."

"But you'll let them get to you?" Sirius retorted with annoyance.

"I'm only human, words hurt." Usagi pushed herself from the wall, standing up straight. "Thanks for saving me from detention. I owe you one."

"Hey, you should dump that guy." Usagi stopped. She'd already started walking away when Sirius spoke. "He just sat there, the whole time, like he didn't care. You should dump him."

'_I've gone and said too much again._' The blonde sighed at the headache she felt coming on, and set off at a run towards the Gryffindor commons.

* * *

Gomen ne! This is simply a terrible chapter. Usagi will be dumping Adam next chapter, look at the garbage he hangs out with. -drools over the Price is Right- I watch it everyday, like a loser. Hey, there's a guy named Adam on here! He is super tall. What a coincidence. 

So...review some more, it makes me happy!

♥SachiNyoko♥ "The ultimate question: Pacman or Frogger?"


	8. Chapter 8

I noticed that sometimes I use Tsukino instead of Moon. It's out of habit, I intend her last name to be Moon in this story. If you see Tsukino, pretend it says Moon.

* * *

Usagi finally stopped her sprint away from Sirius, knees crumbling beneath her. She kneeled at the side of her four-poster, bunching the covers in her fists as she let the whirlwind of emotion free. Forehead pressed against the edge of the mattress, she let the tears pour from her eyes unhindered. Her clenched fist released the bunched quilt and slammed into the soft bed. Unsatisfied, Usagi raised her fist and smashed it down once more. 

'_Why is this so damn hard?_' Putting a stopper on her tears, she twisted and leaned her back into the side of the bed, tilting her head upwards to look at the stone ceiling. Dully, she traced her fingertips along her damp cheekbones and let her mind wander to her even more complicated problems than Adam and Sirius. Setsuna's words kept haunting her, and now she had Bane's to pile on.

No matter how she tried to avoid it, she knew this was her last year in Hogwarts and beyond that, her final year with the Marauders. Instead of living it to the fullest, she couldn't stop fighting with Sirius over stupid, petty things. She'd resolved to get Lily and James together, but completely forgot about it. She'd agreed to go out with some _guy_ she didn't even_ know_. What gear was she missing to be screwing up this badly?

"Okay, get it together Usagi, you are not this stupid or this weak." The blonde muttered to herself, rising to her feet again. As far as she was concerned, there was no point in going to the rest of her classes. Besides, her gut told her that Sirius was probably not in classes anyway. She swiped at her face with her robes and took a deep breath before exiting her dorm.

As Usagi reached the bottom of the spiral staircase, she realized her hunch of Sirius skipping was very correct. She stared at him like a deer caught in the headlights of a Mack truck, before offering him a lopsided smile.

"I'm sorry." she said, and made to walk around him, but he immediately stepped into her path.

"Wait a second, what do you mean you're sorry?" Sirius asked, frowning down at her. The blonde sighed, sensing she wasn't going to squirm out of this, and stared back at him.

"Look, I know I've been a real bitch to you for no reason lately. I'm sorry, okay? Now, I have a guy to go break up with, so let me go." Usagi averted her eyes, feeling like a complete idiot under the tall boy's steady gaze. She pushed past him, exiting the Gryffindor common room before Sirius could utter a word.

* * *

"Usagi, wait up!" Sometimes in life, the thing you're looking for finds you. Such was the occurrence as Usagi turned to see Adam running up behind her. She stopped, flashing him a half-smile as he came to a stop. "Look, I'm sorry about my friends, I didn't know they didn't like you." 

"Yeah, about that..." The blonde trailed, chuckling nervously at the anxious expression Adam was giving her. He took a step closer to her, and she instinctively stepped back. "Listen, Adam, I don't think this is going to work out. I mean, I barely even know you, and your friends hate me."

"Shh," Usagi's eyes widened considerably as Adam placed a finger over her lips. For a moment, she wasn't sure whether she should punch him or just glare, but he lowered his hand before she could decide. "Does that really matter?"

"Uh, yeah, I think it d--" If at all possible, her eyes would've popped clean out of her head in the moment that followed her half-finished sentence. Adam's lips descended on hers, muffling the rest of her statement. She emitted a squeal from the back of her throat, and it didn't take long for her knee to shoot upwards into his crotch. Whipping out her wand, she pointed it at him, adding on a curse.

"_Furnunculus!_" Instantly, boils begin to sprout all over the stunned boy's face. Satisfied, Usagi tucked her wand away and sprinted off down the hallway. When she finally reached the library, she collapsed against the door to catch her breath. After several moments, she stood, and stumbled back towards the common room. Her head pounded with the stress of the day, so as soon as she reentered the Gryffindor common room, she went straight to her dormitory to sleep the rest of it away.

* * *

It was a dim Saturday morning; Usagi leaned back in her chair, satisfied with the demolition of her breakfast. Beside her, Lily had only gotten through half. On her other side Remus was eating twice as slowly and scanning his edition of the _Daily Prophet_. Usagi leaned over, trying to read the bold printed headline, but Remus shrugged her off. 

"You know how annoying that is?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at her. Usagi smiled sweetly at him.

"No idea. What's it say then, Remy?" She replied. Remus shook his head and read aloud, "Woman cursed in mugging, Husband dead."

"That's terrible." Lily commented over her plate of eggs. Remus nodded in agreement, but across the table Sirius rolled his eyes.

"They could have fought back easily, it was two on one." He said. Usagi, who had been silent since the announcement of the headline, looked up at Sirius with a mixed expression. He didn't notice her gaze for a few moments, but when he did he raised his eyebrows in response. "Watcha starin' at?"

"Nothing," she said quietly, standing from her seat and quickly walking out of the Great Hall. Sirius watched her leave with wide eyes. Lily, who had suddenly grasped the situation at hand, glared at Sirius intensely for a few seconds before jumping up to follow her blonde-haired friend. Sirius, more bewildered than ever, turned to the rest of the Marauders.

"Do you guys have any idea what that was about?" He questioned. James and Peter shrugged, but Remus sat his paper down and sighed.

"I'm not surprised you don't know. Usagi is muggle born; both of her parents were killed by a burglar while she was hiding in the closet. She lives with some obscure relative of the family now." Remus summarized. Sirius looked down at his plate and mumbled an 'oh'. They finished their breakfast in silence, but before they'd cleared out of the Great Hall Lily came rushing through the double doors looking quite winded.

"You guys, I can't find Usagi. Do you have the map on you?" she asked breathlessly. James raised his eyebrows at her and looked around to make sure no one was paying attention to them. Satisfied, he reached into his robes and pulled out the blank parchment. Sirius did the honors of holding his wand to the map and muttering the password. Lines sprung to life and darted around the surface of the parchment to form a map of Hogwarts. The five of them searched the map for a dot labeled 'Usagi Moon', but found none.

"She must have gone to Hogsmeade." James finally said, wiping the map and sticking it back in his robes.

"Well, I'm going to look for her," Lily declared, turning and walking off.

"Hey! Wait up!" Sirius called after the impatient red-head, quickly running after her. Remus followed. James blinked.

"I guess we'll wait here and see if she comes back?" He said uncertainly. Peter shrugged nervously. James shook his head and headed for the common room, Peter running after him.

* * *

Sirius shivered and pulled his robes tightly around him. It was way too windy to be running around Hogsmeade searching for Usagi, but here he was, and he wasn't giving up anytime soon. Lily and Remus had both gone their separate ways, but as far as he knew the blonde was still missing. He stopped in front of the Three Broomsticks. 

'_A quick butter beer will warm me up,_' he quickly decided, pushing the door open. The place was busier than usual, and he quickly scanned the room for an empty table. As he did so, his eyes fell on a hooded figure sitting at the bar. The figure was petite and feminine, and a few blonde locks were sticking out of the hood. The drink in the said persons hand looked to be a strong brandy. Sirius hesitantly approached, unconvinced but fearing that it was Usagi.

"Um...Usagi?" He asked slowly. The person's head turned towards him, but their face was shadowed by the hood of their cloak. The sudden movement made the already tipsy female nearly fall off the bar stool, but Sirius caught her around the arm and kept her level.

"Sirius! Fancy meeting you here," She slurred, chuckling lightly to herself. Sirius frowned, and pulled her hood down to reveal Usagi's face. Her eyes looked glazed, and Sirius was sure that she was quite drunk.

"Jesus, Usagi, what the hell do you think you're doing? Let's get out of here before you get caught." He said, tugging her hood back over her head and steering her towards the door.

"Ah, so it's okay for--for you to break all the rules but I can't?" She said, stumbling along behind him. She tripped over her feet and crashed into the back of him, sending them both to the floor. Several people looked over at them.

"Um...sorry about that," Sirius apologized, standing and hauling Usagi to her feet again. He led her out of the place before responding to her. "Don't be stupid, Usagi, there's no excuse for this."

"Oh believe me Siri, there is a reason. You know what your problem is? You _never_ notice other people's feelings. Like with poor Peter who's only wish is to be accepted by you. But you never try to make him feel welcome, do you? It's always you and James and Remus. He's just your little tagalong, huh?" Usagi stopped, but only because she tripped a second time and landed sprawled in the street, making passersby stare. Sirius grumbled and pulled her to her feet again. This time, he picked her up and began carrying her back towards Hogwarts.

"Just be quiet, Usagi, you don't know what you're saying." He told her quietly.

"I know damn well what I'm saying! Put me down or I'll scream." Usagi snapped, struggling to get out of his hold.

"Scream and we both get detention until we graduate," Sirius replied sternly. Usagi stopped and seethed for a moment before beginning on her tirade once more.

"And what about me, Sirius? You never stop to notice how I feel. Did it ever cross your mind that I don't argue with you because I hate you? Or is breaking all the rules and impressing your stupid fan girls all that matters to you? I have feelings too!" Usagi was on the verge of tears, and Sirius was glancing at her uneasily.

"Just stop, Usagi." He said meekly, knowing it would do no good.

"I bet...I bet you didn't even know that my parents were dead. How was I supposed to know that when my mother told me to hide in the closet that they were going to die? He had a gun and he shot dad for protecting mom. You know what he did next? He raped her. I heard it. Then he shot her too, and took our stuff, and left like nothing had happened. _I_ had to call the police. _I_ had to stay with their bodies until they came. That's just not fair; I was only nine years old." Usagi was trembling, so Sirius set her down on her feet.

"I...I'm sorry. I didn't know that..." He said awkwardly. Usagi coughed rather violently a few times, turning her teary eyes up to his. Thankfully, they had already reached the outskirts of Hogsmeade so there was really no one around.

"You're sorry?" She asked, and then shook her head. "No you're not. You're never sorry. It makes me so mad because...you just don't care if you upset me."

"I do, and I am sorry." Sirius said firmly.

"Prove it." Usagi said simply, rubbing away the tears from her face in the process. She wasn't expecting the arms around her shoulders, or the sharp tug forward, and certainly not the warm touch of lips against her own. Whatever she had been expecting, it was definitely not a kiss from Sirius.

* * *

Oh my god, I can't believe I just did that horrible cliffhanger. I'll be hiding in the mountains somewhere until next chapter is out, just so I won't get mobbed by angry readers. 

-is long gone to the mountains- All the talk of mountains makes me crave hot chocolate. I think we have some. Review!

♥SachiNyoko♥

"These books can't possibly compete with centuries of established history, especially when that history is endorsed by the ultimate bestseller of all time."  
Faukman's eyes went wide. "Don't tell me _Harry Potter_ is actually about the Holy Grail."  
"I was referring to the Bible."  
Faukman cringed. "I knew that."

(The Da Vinci Code) (Kind of an inside joke...I guess. Dan Brown owns and copyrights this quote/segment! Don't sue!)


	9. Chapter 9

Usagi stopped breathing all together. Her stomach churned, and before she could really distinguish what was happening, she jerked away from the taller boy. Before anything could be said, the blonde turned, dropped to her knees, and hurled the contents of her breakfast into the layers of snow. Sirius winced, the taste of alcohol still lingered on his own lips; he knew this was the side effect of Usagi's drinking.

The pigtailed girl tried to stand, her legs wobbling beneath her, and her arms shivering under her weight. Her whole body felt drained, exhausted, so as soon as she made it to her feet her knees collapsed completely. Sirius caught her around the waist, shaking his head, and lifted her into his arms once more.

Usagi wanted to protest, she wanted ask Sirius why, why did he kiss her? She felt like she was exploding with questions, but everything she tried to say ended up slurred. Mentally cursing, she vowed to never touch alcohol again. Her world spun, her dizziness agitated by Sirius's walking, so she buried her face in his robes.

"...smells like pancakes..." she mumbled, before losing her battle with consciousness.

* * *

As soon as Sirius walked into the common room, he found that he was not so lucky as to find it empty. James and Peter were there, dully working on their homework, but as soon as he entered the two jumped up. When they entered hearing range, Sirius immediately turned to Peter. 

"Hey, go send an owl to Remus and Lily. Tell them I found her." The jittery boy nodded, scurrying off to do his appointed task. Sirius motioned James to follow him. Considering the curse on the stairs, the black-haired Gryffindor knew he wouldn't be getting into the girl's dorms, so he headed up the stairs to the boy's. James opened the door for him, and Sirius put the blonde down on his bed.

"Merlin, she's heavy," he panted, stretching his now weightless arms. Usagi chose that exact moment to kick her leg outwards, pegging Sirius right in the thigh. He cursed violently, rubbing the sore spot while James laughed at him. The two waited, in silence, for the arrival of Lily and Remus. James wanted to ask what happened, even though he had a vague idea, but decided it would be better to wait.

Lily was the first person to come bursting through the door, and as soon as her eyes fell on Usagi, she assumed the worst. Breathlessly, she ran to the side of Sirius's bed and knelt next to her best friend. "What happened, Sirius? Is she hurt?"

"No, if anything she's just a little drunk." He grumbled, sounded quite miffed. Remus and Peter had entered in time to hear this declaration, and Lily looked more than a little surprised. There was a moment of quiet, before Sirius sighed and said, "Anyway, we should let her sleep it off." The group nodded their consent, leaving the passed out blonde to her sleep/unconsciousness.

* * *

By the time Usagi rolled out of bed to an abrupt wakening, the clock already indicated six in the evening. It took a split second after she sat up straight for everything that'd happened to rush back to her, and for a moment she wished she could evaporate. Everyone has that wish from time to time, so the blonde picked herself up and turned to what she assumed was her trunk. 

Of course, she quickly realized it wasn't hers after all, and a brief glance around her made her realize where she was; the boy's dormitory. Taking a deep breath, she plopped back down on the bed and buried her face in her hands.

'_I've made a complete fool of myself._' Reaching up, the blonde let loose her messy pigtails and worked to pull her hair into a messy ponytail. As she pondered, she knew that her friends were most likely waiting for her in the common room. She had two options; make an escape, of which would probably be quite easy, or go down and face them. Making an escape sounded most inviting, but she knew she'd have to face her friends eventually.

Sighing, Usagi vied for just waiting for someone to come up and discover her awake. Resignedly she walked to the window and hoisted herself onto the sill. She curled against the glass, pressing her forehead against it, and watched the drab activity taking place across the grounds. Her eyes settled on the giant squid, which was making a rare above-water appearance.

Simultaneously, the sun was setting over Hogwarts, making the water beast glimmer in the glowing light. The orange rays stretched across the blonde girl's face, making her cheeks warm, and forcing her eyes to squint. To her, it felt she was only sitting there for mere seconds before the door to the dormitory opened softly. It closed just as quietly, and she didn't dare turn to see who it was.

"You can be a real bitch sometimes, you know?" The voice was easily recognizable; she'd heard it so often. Usagi couldn't bear to turn her head and look the person in the eyes. Her now watery eyes stayed glued to the lake.

"Yeah, I know that," she replied in a whisper, feeling completely ashamed. The faint sound of feet across the floor told her he was coming closer to her. Subconsciously, she drew closer to the window.

"Lily is worried sick, and Remus is looking kind of pale, too. What are you going to tell them, Usagi?" His voice was almost in her ear he was so close now, and she could feel herself losing control of her emotions. After everything else she'd done to embarrass herself, the only thing that could possibly make it worse was to cry, and that looked to be where she was headed.

"That I'm sorry, or that I'm stupid. What do you need to hear from me, Sirius?" The first tear slithering down her cheek seemed to almost mock her, she knew any remaining dignity she'd had was completely unsalvageable. To say the least, the arm around her shoulders startled her. Sirius pulled Usagi towards him, until her head rested against him, but she didn't make any move to respond.

"I think that'll do just fine." He said quietly. For a moment, Usagi thought she must still be sleeping, because she'd never, ever heard that tone from Sirius. It only took a few seconds for her to realize she was being stupid again, just sitting there. She threw her arms around his middle, clinging for dear life, just in case he was suffering from momentarily delirium.

"Did you meant it? When you kissed me, did you mean it?" Her voice was low, almost whispering, and slightly muffled by Sirius's robes. It didn't matter, though; he knew exactly what she said.

"Yes."

"Oh, sorry," The two jumped, startled, and looked over at an embarrassed Lily, the color of her face matching wonderfully with her fiery red hair. Usagi smiled at her friend, though somewhat red in the face herself, and let go of Sirius. Literally pouncing on the redhead, she hugged her quite tightly for several moments.

"Sorry for worrying you," she muttered. Lily shook her head dismissively, breaking off the hug and rolling her eyes.

"Oh please, I'm just glad you didn't do anything worse." The two best friends shared a grinning glance, and they both knew the subject wouldn't be brought up again between them. Usagi looped her arm through Lily's, and sent a backwards glance at Sirius.

"Siri, are you coming?" Down in the common room, a loud shout was heard, followed by hysterical laughter. Usagi appeared at the bottom of the dormitory stairs moments later with Lily in tow, both of them flushed with laughter and still giggling. They both rushed to the opposite side of the common room before Sirius joined them at the stairs, and began looking over the bulletin board nonchalantly. It was then, Usagi noticed the newest announcement.

"Lily, look! They're having a Costume Ball for Halloween!" The blonde exclaimed, drawing the attentions of most of the common room. In undertones, she added, "You should go with James."

"Usagi!" Lily hissed, blushing furiously as James leaned over their shoulders to read the sign himself. Usagi was doing the best she could to not laugh at the look on her friend's face. Sirius had flopped into one of the more comfortable arm chairs, running off a first year in the process, and looked rather sulk-ish. Grinning to herself, she sat next to Remus on the couch and winked at the werewolf before straddling his arm.

"Remus, will you go to the ball with me? We could be vampires!" It didn't take long for Remus to figure out what Usagi was doing. From Usagi's point of view, it looked like he was trying to suppress a smile. Sirius, if possible, looked even sulkier than he had a minute ago. Usagi picked up a couch cushion and chucked it at his head. "You're such a crybaby! I'm going to raid the kitchens, see you guys later."

The blonde stuck her tongue out before she disappeared out of the portrait hole.

* * *

I know, short. Everyone take a moment, and thank** samisweet** for this chapter, because I wouldn't have been working on it if not for her. Was Usagi's reaction to the kiss what you expected? Of course not, because if you expected that, you're just weird. -laughs- 

I'm sorry if the kiss didn't work out exactly how you guys wanted, tune in next chapter and I promise to make up for it. I think Sirius seemed a little mean in this chapter. Ah well. Review!

♥SachiNyoko♥

"But you know where it all went wrong was the day they started the spelling bee. Because up until that day I was an idiot but nobody else knew. When the spelling bee day popped up…

Announcer: Alright, kids, up against the wall. It's time for public humiliation.

Spell a word wrong—sit down in front of your friends. That's great for little egos. "Hey, look at me. I'm a moron. I wasn't even close. I was usin' numbers and stuff."

That's why I admired that kid who spelled it wrong on purpose so he could sit down. He knew he wasn't going to win, so why stand there for 3 hours.

First round, "Cat, K-A-T, I'm outta here." Then as he passed you, "Ha! I know there's 2 T's."

(Brian Regan stand-up)

By the way, Usagi and Sirius's theme song is currently Barenaked Ladies "One Week."


	10. Chapter 10

Monday morning, always known for being the quietest, most dead morning of the week at Hogwarts, found itself jolted into reluctant waking this particular Monday. The source, not too surprisingly, was a certain blonde girl who veered from her usual pigtails to a braid this day. Her abnormally loud screech echoed across the hall as she pounced on Sirius, sending the black-haired boy to the floor.

"Usagi, was that necessary?" He grumbled, listening to the ringing in his ears. Usagi giggled, rolling off of Sirius's back.

"Not exactly, but I really wanted to do it." She answered, grinning up at James, who was cracking up and leaning against the Ravenclaw table. The blonde got several glares as she took her usual seat at the Gryffindor table. Lily and Sirius sat on either sides of her, Lily still giggling. Usagi helped herself to breakfast, grinning to herself.

As she lifted the tray of bacon, a sudden dizziness hit her and it slipped from her hand. The clatter earned her another round of stares from the students in the Great Hall, including Lily and Sirius.

"Sorry, slipped out of my hands," she fibbed, placing a few pieces of bacon on her plate without looking at either of them. Remus, who'd also looked up at the sudden crash, observed Usagi's trembling hands as she lowered her fork carefully towards her plate. Frowning, he turned back to his own plate and decided to ignore it for the time being.

The blonde dismissed her own weak state, concentrating instead on her best friend and the redhead's crush of the past six years. It hit her like a brick, and a grin of immeasurable proportions spread across her face. As the group left for class, Usagi pulled Sirius back from the rest of the group.

"Sirius, I need your help with something," she whispered, watching the group ahead out of the corner of her eye. Smiling wickedly, she explained her plan to Sirius in low tones all the way to Defense Against the Dark Arts. He pulled back, giving her an indignant look.

"I am not doing that." The dog animagus said flatly, folding his arms across his chest to emphasize his point. The blonde rolled her eyes towards the ceiling as she took a seat behind Lily, next to Remus.

"Please, you only have to do one thing." She countered, sticking her tongue out at him. Sirius rolled his eyes right back, taking his text book from his bag and slamming it on his desk with a loud thud.

"Have you ever considered that maybe it's none of your business? Mine either, for that matter." He went on. Usagi glared, just as Lily turned in her desk with an inquiring look.

"What are you guys arguing about now?" The redhead asked, watching mirthfully as Usagi sent Sirius another haughty glance.

"Sirius is being an uncooperative turd, _as usual_." She seethed, frowning as Sirius snorted. Lily was suppressing her laughter too, if only at Usagi's _delicate_ wordage. It didn't take long for the rabbit to notice her best friend's humor as well. Even Remus was grinning into his assignment. "Oh shove it, the lot of you!"

"I'm sorry, but when you call Sirius a turd I just can't help but laugh," Lily explained, giggling even more as she repeated it. A grin spread across Usagi's face too as she realized the amusement the term held. Right before the bell rang James sprinted in the class and took a seat behind Usagi, so he could talk to Sirius more effectively than sitting in front or behind him. Usagi turned to speak with him first.

"Why are you so late, James darling? You missed me calling Sirius a turd, which apparently was extremely amusing to everyone." The blonde said, shooting a mock-annoyed glance towards Remus. James laughed as well, which had Sirius sulking as the center of everyone's hilarity.

"Set up, actually. We have potions tomorrow, and it's the perfect time to prank Malfoy," James announced. Usagi grinned merrily.

"Excellent, we won't have to watch the grossest make out session in the world anymore!" She exclaimed, and then added, "Plus, we get to see another lovely prank by the Marauders, masters and entrepreneurs. I should get you guys a business card or something."

"Why Usagi, I'm flattered by your...flattery!" James replied extravagantly, sending Usagi into a fit of giggles and the rest of their group as well.

"James, really, you could be more articulate," she said, still laughing.

"Well, I've more pronounced talents in other areas." He countered smoothly, and for some reason or other, Usagi found this statement hilarious. She burst out laughing, just as their teacher, Professor Quirrell, walked in the classroom. As he shut the classroom door, Usagi whirled in her desk and put a stopper on her laughter.

"Forgive me, Professor, James was just saying he was quite talented, if you can see the humor in that." The blonde grinned, watching with satisfaction as the skirmish teacher cracked a smile. He nodded, not reprimanding her or sending her to Dumbledore, so she sighed with relief. As usual with Usagi, she decided at that moment that she liked this Professor, and resolved to protect him as best she could from the harshness of her fellow classmates.

"S-so, I assigned you an essay l-last class on common Curses. If-If you w-would take those out." Quirrell said, looking across the class as several students began digging in their bags. In the back, one of the students thought it would be amusing to mock his stutter. If only the poor soul had known of Usagi's new resolution. The blonde turned sharply in her desk, throwing one of her folders straight at the guy's head, which it connected with splendidly.

"You think it's amusing to make fun of the teacher?" She asked sharply, now standing over the dazed boy and retrieving her folder. The whole class was watching the spectacle she made of herself as she glared, venom-filled, down at him.

"I have several nasty hexes in line if any of you see fit to utter another mutinous peep. You two as well, don't be arses." The braided girl sent an annoyed glance at Sirius and James, who were muttering to themselves, probably about her. James sent her a nasty hand gesture under his desk, which she mirrored unflinchingly as she retook her seat.

"What's got you so bitchy lately, you've been way uptight all year." The bespectacled boy muttered as the Professor continued about his lesson. Apparently stunned, though, that someone had stood up for him with such ferocity. The boy in the back still quivered slightly in his chair.

"I don't know, stupid things getting to me I guess," Usagi shrugged, jotting down a few lines of nonsense on the bottom of her essay to meet the criteria and passing it forward. She reached her hand over her shoulder for James's, but he waved her off.

"I didn't do it."

"Slacker. How do you pass?" She asked, shaking her head in disapproval. James grinned at her.

"I ace all the exams; perfect scores in most of my classes last year."

"You know, I really hate people like you." She replied with some resentment, chuckling as Lily turned to ask why the last paragraph of her essay was about teenage boys. Her answer, simply, was, "Because they're the real common curses."

* * *

An odd moment, Usagi and Sirius had the common completely to themselves due to an early departure from dinner.

"Come on, just take it. You can blame it on me later if he finds out!" Usagi persisted, pressing the neatly folded parchment in Sirius's palm. The black-haired boy looked grudgingly down at the article in his hand and back up at his pale-haired companion.

"Some people might call this meddling. James would never send something like that, anyway," He protested pointing to the parchment Usagi was currently folding. She glared at him sharply before tucking it in her bag.

"Look, I just want you to stuff the note in some of his things. It's not rocket science; it's no crime against humanity. If you don't do it, I'm going to the ball with Remus and we're going to be Vampires together." She trailed her sentence dreamily, batting her eyelashes for the annoying schoolgirl effect.

"You're such an evil, manipulative devil woman." Sirius ranted, tucking the note in his pocket sloppily and looking quite upset with himself. Usagi grinned cheekily.

"No, Sirius, I'm simply a female. You, however, are a whiny twit of a man. Or should I say boy?" The blonde squealed as the dog animagus lunged for her, jumping out of the way. The origin of her name seemed most fitting as she hopped around the common room like a wary rabbit, avoiding Sirius. Eventually, Sirius caught up with her reflexive movements and tackled her over the arm of the couch.

"Well hello there, you're awfully close mister." Usagi breathed, giggling lightly. She squirmed under Sirius, but it was like fighting a dead weight, the black-haired boy wouldn't budge. He grinned down at her, their faces merely inches apart.

"I win," As he moved in to claim her lips, the portrait hole suddenly swung open to a crowd of chattering fourth year Gryffindors. Panicked, Usagi found her Wonder Woman strength and gave Sirius a mighty shove off of her. The loud yell of pain that followed directed the group of fourth-year's attentions toward the duo.

"Christ, Usagi, there's a table there!"

"Well that's not my fault, I don't arrange the furniture!" The yelling match continued, and without witnessing a thing, the students dismissed it as a normal squabble between the two of them.

* * *

Lily burrowed backwards, deeper into her pillow, as she turned the thin pages of her Defense Against the Dark Arts text book in search of reference. Subconsciously, she wiggled her nose, a frequent habit when she concentrated even though she was unaware of it. The only people who really knew about it were possibly Usagi, a few random students, and, well, James.

As she turned to the page she was searching for, she noticed the folded parchment lodged in the binding between the pages. Her delicate eyebrow crinkled, she lifted the note in her hands and seen it was addressed to her, in sloppy handwriting. Intrigued, as anyone would be, she unfolded it and read.

_Lily,_

_I was wondering if you'd like to go with me to the Halloween Ball. Meet me in the Entrance Hall tomorrow morning before breakfast to tell me your answer._

_James_

Lily blinked, uncertain, and had to reread the note several times before it hit her. James asked her to the ball! She sprinted to the bathroom, looking in the mirror at the redness of her face. As Usagi would say, it matched perfectly with her hair color. Wetting a washcloth, Lily wiped her face with it and dried it with the hand towel hanging next to her.

When she turned back to the mirror, she seen it did little to cool the warmth in her cheeks. Crawling back into her four-poster, she lifted the parchment to her, intent on reading it once more.

"_A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down--_" Usagi stopped, tilting her head sideways at her redheaded friend. The scrutiny didn't go unnoticed for long; Lily let out a yelp of surprise as she looked up at the blonde.

"I-I didn't even hear you come in!" She exclaimed, making Usagi snort with laughter.

"Funny, I was singing at the top of my lungs." The blue-eyed girl laughed, flopping down across from Lily on the bed. "What's up?"

"Well, um," she started, looking suddenly quite timid. Usagi, the exact opposite, snatched the parchment briskly from clenched fingers and read over it, her eyebrow arched.

"He really isn't very eloquent." She commented, handing the note back to Lily before laughing, "I assume you're going to say yes?"

"Well...yes," Lily responded, looking quite red in the face again. Giggling to herself, Usagi switched to her own bed and dug a night gown out of her trunk. Tumbling around her four-poster, she managed to change into the clothing without standing up, and tossed her robes off her bed. Lily watched the whole spectacle, trying to calm herself, and rolling her eyes as Usagi smirked with triumph.

"G'night, Lily dearest," she grinned, shutting the curtain around her bed, and celebrating her own victory behind it. Now, she could only hope, James took to his own note just as well. It wouldn't take the two of them long to figure out they'd been deceived, but by then the both of them should've already said yes.

Now that she'd set that straight, she had one more very important thing to figure out. '_What am I going to dress up as for the ball?_'

* * *

When Lily woke up the next morning, painfully early, Usagi's curtain was still pulled tightly closed, and her robes in a heap on the floor. The blonde was clearly still sleeping, so the redhead slipped off as silently as possible. Changing into her robes, the green-eyed girl checked her reflection in the mirror.

Creeping back to her trunk, she located a black hair tie and returned to the mirror. She pulled her mass of wavy hair in a ponytail, expecting it to look quite messy. Instead, it turned out quite elegant, so she kept it, pulling her bangs down to frame her face.

Careful not to make noise, she went back into the dorm, grabbed her school back, and headed down into the Gryffindor common room. She briefly congratulated herself for not waking Usagi, before leaving the Gryffindor tower all together. Little did she know, Usagi was much awake and had left fifteen minutes earlier.

As it were, Usagi spotted the perfect place to hide while observing the results of her scheme. Her mood was exquisite, but she knew if James's answer didn't start with a 'y' and end with an 'es' there would be one dead Gryffindor the following morning.

Her concentration wavered, but it quickly returned as she seen her best friend descending the staircase into the Entrance Hall. James had yet to arrive, so Lily stood idly off to the side of the stairs to wait for him. Usagi figured, from this distance, she should be able to hear them as long as they didn't whisper.

There were few other students roaming around this hour; only a few early birds who looked forward to an early breakfast, a _quiet_ breakfast. Usagi munched on a piece of toast she'd snagged before hiding, grinning as she seen James sprinting down the stairs. His hair looked particularly messy this morning, and his bag was sloppily dangling over his shoulder, but he offered up a slight grin as he made eye contact with Lily.

Usagi stuffed a large piece of the toast in her mouth to stifle her laughter, as the both of them went equally red. For being the smooth-talking Gryffindor he claimed to be, James was at a complete loss for words. Even Lily, who Usagi knew to be very straightforward and confident, was looking down at her muggle tennis shoes with interest.

"My answer's yes!" The both of them yelled, loudly, and simultaneously. A small group of Ravenclaws sent them odd glances as they entered the Great Hall, and Usagi covered her face with her hands, laughing. They shared confused glances, wondering why they were both offering answers. Then Usagi's familiar laughter reached them, and they whirled towards the blonde's hiding spot.

Figuring she'd rightly been caught, Usagi revealed herself, still shaking with laughter. Lily marched right over and whacked her aside the head, looking like she would rather strangle her. James appeared proportionally upset, but thought better of hitting a girl in any way.

"Usagi...! This is just," and Lily let out a groan of pure frustration. Usagi stifled her humor throwing her arms around their shoulders.

"You guys, it's not that bad. You both said yes, your true feelings are revealed and now you can make out at the Halloween Ball!" She said in a singsong voice, jumping away from Lily as she made to strike her again. Sprinting towards the staircase, she leapt the stairs three at a time laughing like a maniac the whole way.

"Well...um...I guess we're going to the ball together then." James said offhandedly. Though he tried to sound casual, he was obviously prodding, making sure Lily really did want to go with him. Her cheeks flushed a nice shade of red.

"I guess so," she nodded.

"You're pansies, the both of you!" The hyperactive rabbit shouted, somewhere at the top of the swirling stairs, still cackling. As she turned the corner, intent on fetching her school things from the tower before having her formal breakfast, she ran headlong into Sirius as was usual for her. The dog animagus looked annoyed, more so than normal.

"Oi Usagi, watch where you're going. I thought I heard you laughing like a hyena down here." He grumbled, looking down at her scornfully. She grinned up at him, cheeky as always.

"Lily and James are deep, emotional lovers now, don't you know?" She sang, laughing at the look on Sirius's face. As she whirled, though, her world spun more than it should and she lost balance. For the first time all morning, the grey-eyed boy cracked a smile.

"Air-headed klutz," he teased as Usagi returned to her feet. Her brow was furrowed in concentration, and his smile faded to concern.

"Hey, remember when you caught me the other day?" She asked after a moment, expression as somber as ever. He nodded. "I think you'll need to be doing that again."

"Wha...?" Sirius didn't even get the whole word out before Usagi's eyes fluttered; she swayed on her feet, and fell forward into him. Wide-eyed, he caught her reflexively so they both didn't go toppling to the floor. Easing her toward the ground, he shook her shoulders gently, trying to rouse her to no avail.

Lifting the unconscious girl in his arms, he set out for the Hospital Wing, taking a shortcut by way of secret passage. He was, after all, one of the writer's of the Marauder's Map. Unable to use his hands, he kicked the door open with one go, much to the displeasure of the nurse.

Once she saw the pale, unresponsive Usagi in the brash boy's arms, she let her reproach subside and pointed at the nearest bed. Sirius placed Usagi there obediently and moved back so the nurse would have plenty of room to operate.

She hovered over the girl for several minutes, checking pulses and Merlin knows what else, while Sirius recounted what had happened in detail. The nurse pulled back from the still blonde, looking quite perplexed.

"She's not harmed physically that I see. She seems to be passed out from exhaustion, or sleep deprivation, or something similar." The nurse bustled over to a medicine cabinet, unlocking it and reading through the labels, while Sirius looked on. "Any strange behavior?"

"Well, she was acting loopy, but that's normal for Usagi." The black-haired boy answered. The head nurse sent him an unreadable look, but she looked irritated as she snatched one of the bottles from the medicine cupboard. She rushed back to the bed, and parting the unresponsive girl's lips, slowly trickled the concoction down it.

Usagi sputtered, choking on the mixture even in her oblivious state. Coughing violently for a few moments, she finally took in a full breath and fell back into her pillow as still as when she arrived. The mediwitch looked even more perplexed, reading the label on the brown bottle in her hands again to make sure she had the right one.

"That's strange..." The woman muttered, walking back to the cabinet and sifting through the labeled bottles again. She returned with another brown container, but the results were pretty much the same, except Usagi hacked on even longer than before. The nurse turned to him, much paler than when he'd arrived. "Go fetch Dumbledore." He didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

So, this was fun to write, exceedingly. Usagi is collapsed! Egads! Um...don't hurt me! Encourage me! Review!

♥SachiNyoko♥


	11. Interlude 1

**A/N: **Okay, let me explain. I was going to write a prequel but that is just so tedious and requiring of new story posting and all that. _So_ I decided to post this small chunk as a brief interlude in the story. Basically, it's Usagi's first steps into the wizarding world just to give you a feel of how she met Lily and some of the others. I'll be having another interlude or two, at some point, but the next chapter I post should bring you back around to why Usagi is passed out in the hospital wing and, of course, the Halloween Ball. I hope you enjoy this short nonsense.

* * *

Blinking several times, the eleven year old child looked up at the intimidating scarlet train. Her hands trembled on the handle of her large trunk subconsciously. Blue eyes passed over the endless groups of people around her, different ages, Hogwarts students just like herself. She didn't feel very magical for being a witch as her letter said. 

"Usagi, I'm running late. You'll be fine," The statement would appear encouraging, but the woman's indifferent tone didn't assure the pigtailed girl in the least. As she stepped away, Usagi reached out automatically and latched her pale, white fingers onto her skirt.

"Setsuna, aren't you going to stay a little longer?" Cool garnet eyes swept over the young girl, no emotion present, not even annoyance. She pushed some dark green hair behind her ears before stooping and gently prying Usagi's hand free.

"I can't, really, I'm sorry. You'll have a good chance to meet some friends though, so don't worry." Again, the comfort these words should convey wasn't present. Usagi inwardly flinched, withdrawing her shaking hands back to her possessions and concentrating on her white tennis shoes. Setsuna turned to leave, but paused, and added, "Oh, and Usagi..."

* * *

The petite blonde appeared to fold into herself as she curled into her seat, turning her misty blue eyes out the window. She pulled her hood over her head, and wrapped her arms around her torso tightly. Every part of her still trembled with the impact of her guardian's parting words. 

She'd been unable to hoist her trunk onto the overhead compartment, so it still sat carelessly between the seats. Watching the people still gathered on the platform, conversing and joking merrily, she wondered what it was that made them belong so much. How did they fit into this world so perfectly? She knew vaguely of her magical origins, and she shared some connection with the moon, but as for being _magical_?

So caught up in her reverie, Usagi didn't hear the door to her compartment open. When the person spoke, she nearly leapt from her seat. Her blue eyes flickered to the nervous redhead, who was halfway through a sentence. "--so, c-can I sit here?"

The blonde studied the girl, dressed in casual muggle clothing with plain white tennis shoes identical to the ones adorning her feet. Her wavy red hair fell nicely against her shoulders, and her bright green eyes were crinkled in anxiety. To put it bluntly, she looked like a rabbit caught in the middle of a pack of wolves, and that's exactly how Usagi felt.

"Yeah, you can sit here. Um...I couldn't lift my trunk, so," the blonde jumped up, trying to lug her huge trunk up once more. The other girl stepped forward, grabbing hold of the opposing handle. Together, they heaved the luggage up in its rightful place, and did the same with the other girl's trunk. Winded, they both plopped into seats and fell into silence.

"Er...I'm Lily; Lily Evans." The jade eyed girl finally said, extending her hand for a handshake. Usagi shook her hand with mild awkwardness, and pulled her hood down finally.

"Usagi Moon and I'm guessing you're a muggle-born too?" At Lily's nod, Usagi heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness, I thought I was going to meet a witch first and they'd simply make fun of me for knowing nothing about magic. It's really unfair."

"I was kind of scared too, but my parents were really excited when they learned I was a witch. I didn't want to dampen their spirits about it, so I acted like it was all fine for me." Lily looked mildly trampled, but she quickly brightened. "Anyway, it's really neat, some of this wizarding stuff. Their money system is a little confusing, I'll admit, but the shops in Diagon Alley!"

"I know!" Usagi exclaimed cheerfully, "I wanted to buy a broom but first years aren't allowed. I wanted a snake too, but they aren't allowed, just cats, owls, and toads, how dreary"

"Oy, guys, there are people in this one too." A voice cut into their conversation, after the compartment door had been slammed open rather loudly. Usagi stared up at the black-haired boy, at a loss for words. "A couple of muggle girls, let's find somewhere else to sit."

"Hey!" The blonde shouted indignantly, on her feet in an instant. The gray eyed boy looked back at her, quite surprised himself as he met the cold glare of the girl. She marched up to him, until they were face to face. "Just because I'm muggle-born and you're not doesn't mean you can treat me like that."

"Wha...?" Usagi jabbed him in the chest through her verbal assault, but now she just glared with her hands on her hips. One of his friends standing off to the side snorted, and the boy in front of her looked rather peeved. "Look, it's not like I called you a mudblood or something, don't have a heart attack. I hate stuck up girls like you."

Everyone fell silent as the resounding slap echoed through the group. Usagi flexed her hands, red in the face, looking like she'd love nothing more to strangle him. "You've got some nerve! Don't ever talk to me again!" With that, the pigtailed girl slammed the door to her compartment shut and fell into her seat, still fuming.

"With pleasure!" the boy shouted at the door before marching off down the hall, his group of friends following. Once he was gone, Usagi blinked a few times, unsure if she'd really just done that. All the shyness drained out of her when she got angry, it appeared. Lily was openly gaping at her, but she blushed and averted her eyes when the blonde caught her.

"That was...wow. You got really mad, huh?" The redhead asked timidly, giggling a little when Usagi grinned. "That boy won't mess with you anymore."

"I hate people who think they're better than everyone else." As soon as the phrase left her mouth, their compartment door opened once more. A boy with pale blonde hair walked in like he was an emperor, and another boy with greasy black hair trailed him in.

"Oh, there is someone here. I almost didn't see you there. Look mudbloods, I'm making this my private compartment, so you're going to have to leave." The boy sneered at them, and Lily almost laughed. She could see the anger flaring in her newfound friend's eyes already, and knew she was in for another amusing show.

"I am getting sick and tired of you jackasses." Usagi groaned. She wasn't quite sure what 'mudblood' meant, but she knew it was insulting and had something to do with having nonwizarding parents. "Get out of our compartment, now. I don't care who you are."

"You filthy little-" The blonde boy couldn't even finish his sentence. Usagi yanked her white tennis shoe off and whacked him in the head with it. He looked at her dazedly, agape, as if he was unsure he'd really been hit with a _shoe_.

"I said get out!" The blonde shouted, brandishing her shoe angrily. The two of them retreated accordingly, and Usagi shut the door behind them with a huff. As she turned around, both girls collapsed into laughter. After several minutes, they gasped for air, holding their sides still.

"You are crazy, you know that?" Lily breathed, giggling as she said it. The blue eyed girl only grinned in response, sliding her shoe back on nonchalantly. The two of them conversed freely the rest of the train ride, even when the lunch cart came by and Usagi bought them a load of snacks.

Lily protested at first, but the blonde mumbled something about her guardian being loaded over a mouthful of chocolate frog (Apparently the spell on the chocolate didn't bother her at all). The redhead gave in, reading the box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor beans before tasting one.

"Ugh, is that _earwax_?" She cried, spitting out the jelly bean and gagging. Usagi laughed jovially, digging in her trunk and producing a bottle of water. Lily accepted it gratefully, guzzling the beverage until she couldn't taste the foul flavor.

"Well, I guess the 'every flavor' is to be taken seriously." The pigtailed girl laughed, even though Lily shot her a nasty look. By the time the Hogwarts Express slowed to a stop in front of a huge, intimidating castle, the two girls were permanently attached at the hip.

* * *

Okay about the review reply rule. As far as I can tell, it's a widespread rumor. The side mods or administrators haven't announced any such rule, and I've read through the current regulations that don't mention anything on the level of review replies not being allowed. One person suggested that, in the craze of people reporting for insane/illegitimate reasons lately, a person mistook the tearing down of their story for the reason of review replies. I must say I agree, and until the site itself says otherwise, I'll continue to reply. 

To everyone, I can't believe my nonsensical idea for this story has blown up to this proportion. I'm almost at 200 reviews! My shock that this sporadic, plot-less story is so popular is beyond words. I want to thank everyone who enjoys this as I much as I love writing it, you're all truly great!

♥SachiNyoko♥


	12. Chapter 11

The mediwitch didn't stop to think that a student wouldn't be able to find Dumbledore's office, and the thought never struck her as she fawned over the unconscious patient in the Hospital Wing. Thankfully, Sirius was no ordinary student, and as a Marauder he not only knew how to get to the headmaster, but the fastest way possible as well. He skidded to a halt in front of the large stone creature that guarded Dumbledore's office, and just as he was cursing himself for not knowing the password, the statue jumped aside.

"Mister Black, shouldn't you be at breakfast?" Albus Dumbledore asked lightly, peering down at the Gryffindor over his half-moon spectacles. Recovering from initial shock, Sirius waved the question off completely.

"Madam Pomfrey sent me to get you. Usagi collapsed and she can't revive her." Albus looked concerned for a moment, before he nodded and set off in the direction Sirius had just came from. The black-haired boy hesitated for a moment before following the elderly man through the halls. As they reached the Hospital Wing, however, a voice held them back from entering.

"Headmaster, I'm sorry you had to even hear of this," the speaker was a woman, dressed in muggle business attire. Her dark red eyes swept over the both of them before she stopped in front of the door, settling her own hand onits knob. "She skipped this month and part of last, I imagine she's near death with weakness."

"I though that might be the problem. Normal methods won't revive her at this point, it made sense." The two filed into the infirmary, Sirius trailing behind them completely confused. He stood back as the two approached Usagi, and the unidentified woman dug in the pocketbook at her side. From it, she pulled an old fashioned broach with a crystal in the center. Sirius waited, expecting her to perform some sort of magic with it, but instead she just clasped the broach to the girl's robes.

"That's it?" The raven haired boy asked indignantly, but instantly he swallowed his statement. The crystal flickered with a strange light for a few seconds, before it began to glow softly, steadily. Sirius looked over the woman again, taking in the strange green hue to her dark hair, the unnatural red color of her eyes. Even her presence felt out of place, but he didn't think she was just some muggle. After all, she was here at Hogwarts.

"I'll watch over her. She'll need a good talking to when she regains her strength." Albus stayed silent for a moment, but whatever he contemplated saying he decided against. He tilted his head in a short nod and left the room, motioning Sirius to follow. Reluctantly the Gryffindor boy did, sending one last glance at the motionless Usagi, whose color had just started returning.

"Professor, who is that woman," He asked, turning his attention to the headmaster as they headed toward the Great Hall.

"Oh, you don't know?" Albus raised an aged eyebrow, before continuing, "She's Miss Moon's legal guardian. This is only the second time I've met her. Well, here we are." The two parted ways at the Great Hall, Albus heading for the staff table, and Sirius heading towards the usual seats him and his friends occupied. Lily and James both looked flustered, lingering on the events this morning involving Usagi's 'major plot.'

It occurred to Sirius that he was the only one who knew about Usagi collapsing. They offered up automatic greetings as he sat down beside them. Remus, as it turns out, was the first to notice the blonde girl's absence. "Hey, where's Usagi?"

"Hospital Wing," Sirius blurted, watching as the group turned to him, surprised. He relayed everything that'd happened that morning, including the bizarre woman that was apparently Usagi's guardian. Of them, Remus seemed the least surprised. They all gathered their things and left for first class, concerned about their pigtailed friend.

------------

Opening her heavy eyelids, Usagi could immediately feel the presence of the other woman in the room. The aura weighed down on her, pressed on her lungs until she felt suffocated. The inclination to close her eyes and feign sleep until she went away struck Usagi, but she knew it would be useless. Sighing in resignation, the blonde lifted herself up in sitting position, still feeling woozy.

"Fancy seeing you here, Setsuna," she chuckled lightly, but didn't get any response. Clearing her throat nervously, she turned her attention to the other person in the infirmary and giggled. Lucius Malfoy was perched on the bed across from hers, his arms folded over his chest and looking furious. His lips were swollen to about five times their normal size and a lovely cherry red, to match the makeup on the rest of his face.

She'd forgotten that the Marauders had planned to prank Malfoy, which James had told her in Defense Against the Dark Arts the previous day. Her laughter quieted, not because of the glare Lucius sent at her, but because Setsuna was looking at her in a worse way.

"Why do you do this, Usagi? Why must you be difficult in everything I ask you to do?" The tone could've been anger, or it could've been tired resignation. The blonde girl couldn't decide, as she pulled subconsciously on a lock of her hair.

"Bane was harassing me. I told you that. I told you several times." Usagi finally said, trying to sound as angry as she could without yelling. She glared up at the garnet eyed woman. "Why won't you ever listen to anything I say?"

"You couldn't have put up with one centaur?"

"No. No I couldn't." Usagi snapped back, furious at Setsuna's nonchalance to the whole matter. "What are you, some kind of robot? Don't you even care the least bit about me?"

Setsuna turned away, her eyes shining sorrowfully out of Usagi's vision. If only she could explain...the blonde girl spoke again, "I know you don't. You don't have to answer. I'm just some brat who was shoved on you, messing up your life."

"That's not true!" Setsuna said indignantly. The shock across the blue eyed girl's face was blatant. She couldn't believe she actually got a rise out of her guardian, but she wasn't going to waste it.

"Bull shit! You never cared! You never even pretended to, or you would have asked me how I felt. When I was a little girl who just saw her father shot to death, and her mother raped, you never even asked if I was okay. The least you could've done was send me to a shrink, but you never bothered. I never complained, no matter how cold you were, but the one time I try to tell you, 'Hey, this person is harassing me and I can't take it,' you just blow me off. And worst of all, you're going to...take everything away."

"You wouldn't understand." Setsuna said softly, cringing as Usagi sobbed into her hands. "You could never understand."

"And I don't want to, Setsuna. I really don't want to understand your life, because it's lonely. It's cold, and empty, and lonely." As she finished her statement, Setsuna rose from the chair by her bed and left for the door.

Before leaving, she paused to say, "You can keep the broach with you. You don't have to go to the forest anymore." The door clicked softly behind her, as Usagi collapsed into more tears.

Setsuna summoned her portal to get back to the Gates of Time, feeling the familiar transition into her senshi attire. The staff clattered against the floor as Setsuna sank to her knees, and for the first time since she'd been appointed Time Guardian, gave in to the bitter tears burning down her cheeks.

---------------

"You skipped, huh?" Usagi turned towards the infirmary door, smiling lightly at the werewolf who stood there. She'd long since stopped crying, and the moisture from her cheeks had slowly evaporated. She doubted Remus could even tell she'd been grieving.

"Yeah, and I don't have to go back anymore. Sets gave me the crystal." Something flickered in the blonde's face, the fading of her normal façade. Ashamed, that's all she could justify herself being. Ashamed of the horrible things she'd said. As Remus came closer, to sit down most likely, she swallowed her humiliation and smiled at him.

"Sirius wanted to come, but I told him I'd check on you. He's worried." His fair colored hair glowed softly in the dim light of the hospital wing. He paused, and then added, "You look pretty worried yourself."

"Maybe," Usagi sighed, turning her eyes toward the gloomy ceiling, where faint flickers of candle light highlighted the shadows dancing across. Finally, she grinned, and said, "So, Remy, what are _you_ going to the ball as?"

---------------

Later that evening, Madam Pomfrey released her from the Hospital Wing with strict orders for bed rest. The blonde ignored them and made a beeline for the kitchens, where the house elves enthusiastically cooked a full course meal for her. Afterwards, she became groggy despite herself. Knowing that dinner was still going on, she went to the Gryffindors commons with the comfort of avoiding Sirius.

When she woke the next morning, preparing for the day, that comfort wasn't there. She put on her school robes, wishing it were the weekend again, and headed downstairs on the wayto breakfast. To her surprise, Sirius was waiting at the bottom of the stairs for her.

"Wow, you're giving up valuable sleep time for this. I'm impressed," The blonde jested, making Sirius roll his eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me what would happen if you didn't go to the forest. I could've gone with you, you know. I'm usually out with Remus anyway." Usagi's smile faded as she realized how serious the black haired boy was.

"I didn't want to worry you. I knew Sets would come with the crystal. It's no big deal. Please don't be mad at me." The sheer tone of voice the pigtailed girl used made Sirius stop. He was going to yell at her. He was going to be upset. Now he couldn't bring himself to do anything of the sort.

"Come on," he sighed, "Let's go to breakfast."

Usagi smiled, and as Sirius turned, she hopped on his back, yelling, "Piggy-back ride!"

"Oi, get off me you psycho!" He yelled, making the blonde laugh even harder as she climbed down.

"Thanks," she said sincerely, then her eyes lit up with laughter again, "By the way, I seen Lucius in the Hospital Wing yesterday. Bloody brilliant job, I doubt Narcissa will be kissing him for a while."

"Well, it was really mostly James's idea," Sirius laughed, thinking back on Lucius's ridiculous face. Not to mention Narcissa's, with her nose scrunched up even more than it usually looked. "James was pretty upset with me yesterday, though, for helping in your little matchmaking scheme."

"Aw, he should be thanking us," Usagi pouted, following Sirius out of the common room, "After all, he would've never worked up the courage to ask Lily in time, and we both know they're head over heels. My poor best friend would've ended up going with some loser because she was waiting for James to ask her until the last minute."

The blue eyed girl ended her rant as they entered the Great Hall and the aroma of good food hit her. Sirius followed her to the Gryffindor table shaking his head, but they were both jolted when someone stuck their foot out to trip Usagi. She stumbled, and turned to glare at the familiar face of Adam. While he glared back, Sirius 'accidentally' tipped the plate of steaming eggs into the brunette's lap.

The resulting shout sent the two laughing as they took their seats down the table. Not ten minutes later, the rest of the marauder gang joined them, talking animatedly over their meal like nothing had happened. Except that Lily refused to talk to Usagi.

"Aw, come on, you can't be that mad. After all, you wanted to go with each other anyway. I just helped you along." She whined, pulling on the sleeve of Lily's robes. The redhead had her nose in the air, but despite protest, her lips were tugging into a smile.

"Okay, okay, just don't ever do it again. And you have to go costume shopping with me to make up for it." Usagi nodded vigorously her agreement, and the two of them launched into their normal conversation. They all burst out laughing when Lucius Malfoy walked into the Great Hall, makeup gone but lips still swollen the size of a fist. James nearly choked to death on a chunk of scrambled egg, but Sirius smacked him in the back, hard, and the piece of food went sailing across the room.

The whole school thought Usagi was going to die of laughter when the egg hit Narcissa right on her scrunched up, unattractive nose.

---------------

I know, I know, still no Halloween Ball. I'm putting it off...what can I say? As stated in the newest chapter of _Forever_, the site officially banned review replies, so I can't respond to you guys individually anymore. I don't have enough time to do it the way the site has set it up, as I barely have time to even work on stories. This is my first free night of internet time in a while, which is why I figured I'd try to update as much of this as I could finish.

I still have no clue why it's such an issue to reply to reviews inside the chapter. I'll still answer any questions you have about the story; I just can't address you personally.

I think everyone loved Malfoy getting hit with a shoe. :D Yes, Lily's last name is Evans; Lily Evans and James Potter. :) _I appreciate every single one of you who reviewed, and I wish I could still do replies. Please do still review, it's the highlight of my day just reading them, and I apologize for being so poor at updating._

Like I said in my profile, I've been sick lately and with everything else going on I have sparse time to write or update. Try to be somewhat patient with updates. If you really want to contact me about the story, where I can reply to you, my e-mail is in my profile. I'd put it here, but underscores aren't allowed.

♥SachiNyoko♥


	13. Chapter 12

"No, Lily, not that one. Put it down."

"I liked that one," a pause, "My god, Usa, anything but that." The two girls huddled over the rack of costumes, the blonde snorting with laughter as she replaced the skimpy nurse costume.

"A joke, Lily dearest, I assure you." Usagi laughed, walking to the next aisle. The two had sneaked off to Hogsmeade to shop for their costumes, since the weekend after would be the official Hogsmeade weekend and the stores would be swamped. Being friends with the Marauders had its definite perks. "Okay, this is getting old. Grab some random costumes and meet me at the dressing room!"

The pigtailed girl stuck her index finger into the air, and then sped off down the aisle, grabbing costumes as she went and earning an unsavory look from the shop owner. Lily stared for a moment before shrugging and following her lead. They convened at the dressing room, both of them with arms full, and disappeared behind the curtains to their separate rooms. Usagi came out giggling and Lily somewhat red in the face.

"I'm a clown," the blonde laughed, squeezing the magical red nose, which let out a honk fit for an automobile. She looked over at her friend, and her expression morphed to shock, "And you're a cat woman! Lovely ears and tail; something tells me James would approve."

"Yeah, yeah, next costume," the redhead muttered, going back into the room and shutting the curtain. The woman at the counter watched in some amusement as the two continuously emerged from the dressing rooms in strange costumes. The blonde had an array of humorous choices like a penguin suit, a bear costume, a pirate costume complete with a beard, and once she came out in her normal robes and a set of huge, fake lips claiming to be 'Malfoy,' which sent the green eyed girl laughing hysterically.

The other girl had come out in more serious choices, but still hadn't found what she wanted; a not-overly-skimpy nurse outfit, a mermaid, a fairy tale princess, and once in an alien costume that sent her blonde counterpart into fits of laughter. Finally, they shouted at each other through the dressing room wall, "I think I found mine!" The two girls emerged, and took in the other's costume choice.

"Lily, that's beautiful!" Usagi squealed, making the redhead blush. They agreed on their choices, and went into the dressing room to change back into their normal clothes and collect all the costumes they'd tried on. Once replacing the rejects, the two walked to the counter, and Usagi snatched the costume from Lily's hands.

"Usagi! I don't want you to pay for that!" Lily objected, trying to grab the garment back, but Usagi shook her head as she handed them to the woman over the counter.

"I'm not, technically. It's not my money," she answered nonchalantly, winking at the redhead. Lily shook her head as the pigtailed girl handed the woman over the counter a handful of galleons and took the bag with their purchases. She practically skipped from the store, excitement in her features. "Now I can't wait for the ball! Hey, I know, let's get some ice cream!"

**xXx**

Usagi brought her quill to the blank piece of parchment lying innocently on the table, tearing her brain apart trying to come up with the right words to write on it. Her blue eyes narrowed in annoyance before she threw her quill down and sighed with frustration. Tilting her head back, she closed her eyes and blocked out her view of the ceiling, '_I'm sorry, Setsuna._'

Sitting up, she picked the quill up once more and scrawled that exact phrase onto the small piece of parchment. There was no reason to beat around the bush or pretty it up, she reasoned, rolling up the parchment and tying to the leg of Lily's owl, which the redhead had let her borrow for the occasion. The brown owl hooted softly before taking flight out the open window.

The blonde turned, examining the costume that she'd purchased earlier that day, laid across her four poster bed. A smile came to her lips before she carefully placed the outfit in her trunk. The Halloween Ball promised to be a spectacular event indeed. Turning, she left the dormitory and skipped downstairs, intent on heading to the Great Hall for dinner. Lily and the Marauders weren't in the common room, so she figured they'd already left. She was right, and she fell into her usual seat between Sirius and Lily.

"Well, we got our costumes today!" The blonde exclaimed enthusiastically, scooping a large helping of potatoes onto her plate before she turned to look at the boys, "Have you guys gotten yours yet?"

"No," James said, shrugging. Usagi gasped dramatically, grabbing the bespectacled boy by his shoulders and shaking him back and forth.

"But it's only two weeks away! Why haven't you gone yet?" She asked frantically, finally releasing him. James looked dizzy for a moment, before he sent an annoyed glance at the blonde, and Lily who was laughing at his predicament.

"What are you going as?" Sirius asked, finally looking up from his dinner. Usagi sent him a sour look.

"As if I would tell you. It's a surprise!" She said cheerfully as she started on her plate, "But you guys should definitely go tomorrow. If you wait all the good costumes will be gone and you'll have to go as garbage bags."

The two girls laughed with each other as they imagined the whole Marauder crew showing up to the Halloween Ball in huge, black, plastic garbage bags. They giggled sporadically throughout the rest of dinner, while the others discussed their next prank.

**xXx**

(**A/N: **No one will begrudge me if I just jump right into the Ball, right?Okay then. o.o; )

Tapping her foot, Usagi waited for her turn in the bathroom, staring idly out of the dormitory window. Two weeks ago she sent her somewhat pathetic letter of apology to Setsuna, and she still hadn't received a response of any kind. Though somewhat worried over it, the nervous churning of her stomach was overtaking the rest of her thoughts. Finally, Lily called for her to enter the bathroom.

The blonde walked in, smiling brightly as she surveyed Lily's masquerade costume. The dress was a dramatic silk green, with a layer of black lace over it, and the neckline was cut squarely, showing off Lily's fair colored skin around her collar bone. With Usagi's help, she smeared black glittery eye shadow over her eyelids, to offset the bright green of her eyes and the dress, and put her mask on, also silk green edged in black lace, and charmed it to stay in place so she wouldn't have to hold it.

Usagi shooed her redheaded friend from the bathroom and changed into her own costume, smiling brightly at her reflection. She giggled to herself as she thought back to the show she used to watch when she was a kid, called '_I Dream of Genie_.' That's what she looked like now, but with meatballs. Frowning, the blonde poked at the hat. It looked silly sitting between her pigtails, so she slowly undid them, pulling out a mountain of hairpins in the process. (**1**)

Running her fingers through her loose hair, she tried to pull it up into a ponytail, but found the hat still looked a little ridiculous. Deciding she didn't like the hat at all anyway, she ripped the veil material from it and tossed it aside before calling Lily back in. After a bit of begging, she convinced her best friend to braid her hair for her. Considering they still had half an hour before they met their dates, Lily conceded if only to pass the time, tying each end of the braid with a piece of the veil.

Usagi nodded at herself, finally satisfied, and looked out at the clock. Everyone in their dormitory had already left, but they still had ten minutes until they were supposed to meet Sirius and James in the common room. They shared a glance before Lily said, "Should we just go?"

"Well, I don't see why not. They'll probably be late anyway." Usagi replied, rolling her eyes. The two left their dormitory, Lily going down the stairs first, while the blonde sniggered at her from behind. "Dearest Lily, are you sure you'll be able to walk in those heels?"

"Shut up, it's just hard to walk down stairs," Lily snapped, clinging to the railing for dear life. Her cheeks reddened as Usagi laughed behind her, but she composed herself and kept going, slowly but surely. When they got down the spiral staircase far enough to see into the common room, they found it nearly empty. They did spot James, however, leaning against the wall near the portrait hole, his arms crossed and eyes closed. From Usagi's point of view, he looked nervous despite his indifferent stance.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Lily walked over to the black haired boy and cleared her throat, startling him enough to jump. Usagi studied his costume, a medieval knight's attire, and grinned to herself, '_He's Lancelot with glasses._' James's face went red as he looked at Lily, her green eyes twinkling, and Usagi decided to break their awkward silence. "Okay, you lovebirds, off with you! I feel like a mother sending her daughter off on a first date,"

(**A/N: **I hate to cut in again, but I just wanted to make it clear that James isn't wearing a suit of armor. That would be silly. Think more like the King Arthur movie.)

"Usagi!" Lily glared at her best friend, half amused, her cheeks a nice rosy tint while the blonde giggled at her.

"Sirius isn't down yet, but Remus and Peter already left. He'll be here soon," James said to her before looping his arm with Lily's and walking her out of the common room. Usagi smiled after them, her eyes gleaming happily. Once they were gone, she turned back toward the staircases and glanced at the clock, noting Sirius had five minutes before he was late. As she waited the few other people in the common room dispersed when their dates came down, leaving only a couple of guys who apparently weren't going at all.

They kept leering in her direction, and she crossed her arms over her bare stomach, feeling somewhat vulnerable under the circumstances. Her face didn't show it, however, as she glared full force every time their eyes fell on her. Usagi turned her attention to the clock again, frowning as she realized Sirius was already five minutes late. '_That jerk. I have half a mind to--_'

"Sorry," The blue eyed girl nearly jumped out of her skin, flinching away from the person who had appeared at her side while she was zoned out. Her hand covered her rapidly beating heart as she glared at Sirius, who only laughed in response. "I was having a hard time."

Usagi looked at him with confusion, before she realized his usual idiotic grin was accompanied by two barely visible fangs, most likely the result a glamour spell. Her blue eyes raked over the rest of his costume before she rolled her eyes and said, "Couldn't come up with anything yourself, eh Siri?"

"You seemed to have your heart set on going with a vampire," he responded, before a frown came to his lips, "And I thought you said you wouldn't call me that anymore."

"Well, I changed my mind. Now let's go, I don't enjoy being eye candy for hormone driven males," Usagi said, glaring to her left once again, where the group of boys pretended to be engrossed in their conversation. Sirius scowled as well before placing his hand on the small of her back and leading her toward the portrait hole. She hadn't even realized she'd been cold until his warm hand made contact with her bare skin.

Usagi sensed her cheeks heat up, and she turned her head the other way to avoid looking at Sirius. '_Oh come off it, Usagi, it's just Sirius. He's the stuck up, arrogant jerk you've been hanging out with since first year. This is just a dance, no big deal. But--,_' she inclined her head in his direction again, and he caught her gaze, flashing his typical grin. The same grin she'd seen more times than she could count, but this time it made her heart jump into her throat. She smiled uneasily back and averted her eyes straight ahead, face absolutely on fire.

A thought came to her, suddenly, out of the blue. Sirius hadn't even formally asked her to come with him tonight. She hadn't asked him to come with her, either. It wasn't even some mutual, unspoken agreement. They just knew. Who else would they possibly want to go with? What else could be more obvious than going with each other? The thought made her even more nervous than before, but she swallowed hard as they approached the Great Hall, where the commotion could be heard filtering through the large wooden doors.

"Well, thanks to you we are fashionably late," she joked, earning a roll of the eyes on his behalf. They entered the room, virtually unnoticed by the multitudes of students. Some were dancing to the loud, rock-type music the band was playing, others were standing to the sides screaming conversations at each other, and the rest were just standing enjoying refreshments or otherwise being wallflowers.

Usagi observed the Great Hall wide eyed, her mouth dropping open involuntarily. Instead of the usual floating candles, the room was lit by floating jack-o-lanterns, whose faces moved as though alive. Everyone on the dance floor was up to their knees in a white, foggy smoke that reminded her of dry ice. The enchanted ceiling, which usually showed the sky outside, was ominously dark, and it took a few minutes for Usagi to realize why; it was covered in live bats.

"Well, did you come to just stand here," Sirius asked with amusement, finally jolting her from her reverie. She shook her head, and pointed across the room, where Lily and James were standing by the punch table. He nodded, leading her around the crowd toward them, his hand still placed firmly against her back to which she didn't protest. When they reached their two best friends, they found them downing cups of punch. The sheen of sweat across both their brows suggested they'd already been dancing.

"About time you two showed up. Check out Remus and Peter," Usagi moved her attention to the area of the dance floor where James pointed, her face breaking out in a grin. Apparently both of them had dates she hadn't known about. Her eyes gleamed as she watched them dance, but she couldn't pull her thoughts from the hand that had casually moved from her back to her hip.

"Do you want to dance?" As the words left his mouth, the song ended and was replaced, by all cliché typical scenarios, by a slow ballad. She would've rolled her eyes at the paradox of it, but instead she nodded to the question at hand. Once again, she allowed Sirius to lead her across the room with no resistance, noticing Lily and James share a sly smile from the corner of her eyes.

Then, she was turned, face to face with Sirius, catching only a fleeting glance of Lily and James also walking out onto the dance floor. There was no awkwardness; Usagi's arms immediately encircled his neck, and Sirius's arms found their way around her waist. She rested her head against his shoulder, ignoring her heart pounding loudly in her ears, but didn't close her eyes. They stayed wide open, transfixed on the features of his face, telling herself over and over that it was really him, that this was really happening.

Both of them moved slowly around the floor, not speaking, barely breathing. They danced through the song, then the next, and a few more after that before Lily watched them slip out of the Great Hall together. With a grin on her face, she pointed toward the door when James sent her a questioning glance. He turned in time to see Usagi's long blonde braid disappearing from behind the large wooden exit. He grinned as well.

**xXx**

Usagi sat down on the broomstick, holding onto Sirius as tightly as possible when they lifted from the ground. They rose, but the blonde didn't open her eyes until they were back on solid ground. When her eyelids parted, her breath caught in her throat at the sight stretched out before her, while Sirius pulled her into a sitting position. The pair of them sat on the top of the astronomy tower, looking out on Hogwarts grounds. The half full moon illuminated the surface of the lake, and the swaying limbs of the Whomping Willow. Dark trees of the Forbidden Forest stretched on forever in one direction, and an endless horizon of hills in the other.

"How pretty," she breathed. Her blue eyes jumped back over to Sirius, who had been looking at her the whole time. Embarrassed, she turned her gaze down to the lake, and stared at the reflection of the moon on the lake's slightly rippling surface. '_It's hard to think that all of this is just temporary._' Usagi closed her eyes for a moment, before she slid them open again to look at the gray eyed boy who sat silently beside her. '_But I'm still glad._'

"Are you cold?" Sirius asked. The blonde looked down at her arms, covered in goosebumps from the chilly October air mixed with her not too warm attire, and she nodded. He removed his cape, the one that went along with his vampire costume, and hesitating for only a moment, decided to just hand it to her. Smiling, she accepted and pulled it around her shoulders; it was still warm with his body heat.

"I've been worried, about you," the black haired boy began, his words strained. Usagi turned toward him, her brow furrowed in confusion, as if to ask why. His lips curled into a frown before he answered the silent question. "You've been uptight. Something's bothering you."

"I'm surprised you noticed," she admitted, looking down at her feet. Her mind reviewed the scenario over and over again, what the last year of Hogwarts really meant for her, for them, for the whole group of friends. A soft, sad smile touched her lips as she thought of what to say to explain, without giving too much away. "It just, this is our last year. After it's over, things are going to change."

'_No, not just things, everything will change. Nothing will ever be the same._' The thought hit her hard, but she didn't bring her sadness to the surface. Instead, she stared placidly into the darkness of the Forbidden Forest until Sirius spoke.

"Not really. We're all good friends, we'll always be together." He said, tilting his head at her. The end of school, that's all that she was worried about? No, there had to be more to it, more that she wasn't telling. She smiled, saying, "I guess you're right."

They said nothing further while they sat there, completely immersed in the calm silence between them. Usagi was too afraid that saying something might trigger another argument, and of all the times she didn't want anything to mess up this moment. Sirius also thought the same thing, not trusting himself to speak. When they descended back to the ground, and wandered their way back to the Gryffindor common room, all the lights were out. The party was long over, and everyone in bed, even the late stragglers.

Sirius followed Usagi toward the staircase that spiraled up to the girls' dormitories, and accepted his cape from her outstretched hands. The silence still lingered between them, but her blue eyes stared straight into his gray, not wavering in the slightest. They were close, painfully close, and Sirius couldn't resist the temptation any longer. Placing his hand against the small of her back, he felt the shiver run up her spine before he pulled her against him, bringing their lips together.

Breaking apart, Usagi searched his face with her eyes briefly before they fell closed, and she erased the few inches that separated them once more. Tears found their way into her eyes; here was the boy she had grown to love over the past six, almost seven years, who she thought could never love her back. But he did, she could feel it in the fervor he held when kissed her back. They parted, and then pulled together again, over and over, each connection lasting a little longer than the last.

Until finally, Usagi pulled away completely, feeling desperately cold immediately afterwards. Her hand found the side of his face, and she touched it lightly, but couldn't bring herself to say anything. They looked at each other a little while longer, before the blue eyed girl turned and took the painful steps away from him, up the spiral steps to her dormitory. She didn't turn to see whether he left or watched her go, and didn't breathe again until she'd drawn the curtain shut around her four poster bed.

**xXx**

(**1**) If you've ever done meatballs to your hair you would know it takes like 2,000 bobby pins and a whole bottle of hairspray to keep them in place. I did it once, when I had longer hair.

I wanted to say Usagi and Sirius's new theme song is "Hurt So Good" by John Mellencamp, but it makes me laugh just thinking about it. xD I'd say from Usagi's point of view it would be "Hey You" by Shakira, but reading the lyrics does it no justice, you have to hear the song. It's so damn catchy. But aside from that, the new 'official' theme is actually a tie between "As Long As You're Mine" from the Wicked soundtrack and "Where You Are" from Jewel's new album Goodbye Alice in Wonderland. Why must I assign a theme song? Eh, I don't know, it gives me something to think about. x3

Heck, while I'm at it, James and Lily have a theme too. It's also a Jewel song, called "Drive To You." (I've been listening to her new album too much. It helped inspire this chapter) You can look up the lyrics to these songs if you want, though I don't see why you would. I know you probably all want to throw shoes at me for taking six months to update, but, was it worth it? (grins, before going hysterical) I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU WANTED! DO NOT BADGER ME! AHHH!

Okay, I'm a little tipsy with exhaustion. Please, review. After all, this is the first real display of fluff there has been in the story, so let me know how corny it was. But, don't go thinking everything is sunshine and daisies from here on out. Oh no, far from it. I won't give anything away, I will just leave you with that dreadful feeling I'm going to do something only an authoress as evil as me could do.

If I weren't so tired (glances at clock, which reads 4:35 am) I promise I would do the review reply thing. But, since I stayed up so long slaving over this chapter for you, do me the great honor of reviewing and making me happy while I go have some coffee and anything packed with caffeine. I slept all afternoon yesterday and I've been up, half studying for an AP exam tomorrow, er, today and half working on this. Now I must study more. I'm really good in AP Government and Economics, though, so no worries.

♥SachiNyoko♥


	14. Chapter 13

This is for you, Sami-chan. :D

**xXx**

Usagi paced slowly down the spiral stairs, her blue eyes searching the common room once it came into view. Tugging slightly on her robes, she sighed and left the Gryffindor tower, taking her sweet time in heading for the Great Hall. Her heart thumped painfully against her ribs as she slipped inside.

The first thing she noticed, the hall was back to its usual boring décor, and the second, none of the Marauders were present, only Lily eating by herself.

Exhaling with relief, she walked over and fell into the seat by her best friend. Absorbed in her thoughts, the redhead didn't notice her for the first few moments. Usagi fixed her plate and ate through a bit of her eggs before she picked up the unused fork at the plate next to hers and poked Lily in the arm. The redhead jumped in her seat and looked over to curse the culprit out for bothering her. She appeared quite surprised to see Usagi.

"Usa, when did you get here?" The blonde rolled her eyes as she replaced the fork, and didn't respond to the question.

Instead she asked, "Why are you so spaced out?" Knowing her friend all too well, Usagi didn't miss the subtle uneasiness that passed over Lily's face as she looked the other way. "Did something happen last night?"

"Hmm? Oh no, last night was great." Again, that look, as the girl turned back and gave a half hearted smile. Usagi looked regretfully down at her breakfast, because she really did feel quite hungry, but she rose to her feet and pulled Lily up with her. The redhead gave a dumbfounded expression as her pigtailed friend dragged her from the hall under many confused stares from their classmates.

When they reached the deserted Entrance Hall, Usagi whirled back around to face Lily and clenched her hands on the other girl's shoulders. With her face as serious as a heart attack, she asked, "Okay, what did the jackass do?"

"Wh-What?" Lily stammered, her pretty green eyes growing wide. The blonde gave her a look, and the meaning behind the question suddenly dawned. With a shifted look down to her shoes, she explained, "Well after you and Sirius left the party, we only stayed for a little while longer. We went back to his dorm room--"

"_Lily_!" Usagi looked horrified, but Lily quickly countered with a dismayed look of her own at the mere suggestion.

"We didn't _do _anything, Usagi! We just talked for a while," Usagi grinned at the rouge red smeared all over Lily's face, darker than even her hair. "Anyway, we've never really talked before you know, so it was nice. Everything was going great until I went and said that I loved him. I didn't even mean to, you know, it just came out."

"What did he say?" All mirth left Usagi's expression; it teetered on anger, dismay, apprehension, sadness, she couldn't even sort through it all. She did, however, stay silent as she waited for Lily's answer.

"Nothing. For a long time he didn't say anything, so I said it again, and I asked him if he felt the same way." Lily unconsciously wrapped her arms around herself, the way a person does when they desperately need comforting. Usagi pulled her best friend into a hug as she started to sob, holding on as tight as she could while Lily continued to talk into her shoulder.

"He wouldn't answer me. I asked him three times but he didn't say anything, just stared at me. So I left." The blonde's face hardened and her hands clenched as Lily pulled away from her embrace. She grabbed the redhead's hand and pulled her along as she marched determinedly toward the staircase. "Usagi, where are we going?"

"If they haven't been to breakfast yet than they're either holed up in the common room or still in their dorms. Either way," she didn't finish her sentence as she headed for the Gryffindor commons.

"Usagi, maybe we shouldn't," Lily began, alarmed, but couldn't quite decide what it was they shouldn't do. It wouldn't have deterred her anyway, because they promptly reached the portrait and entered. Among the reasonably full common room were the four Marauders, taking up the larger of the couches, unaware of the coming events.

Not unaware for too long, because a certain pigtailed someone promptly walked across the room and sent her fist flying at the face of a certain bespectacled someone. The resounding noise sent a shudder of silence through the crowd.

"Out! Everyone get out now!" Usagi shouted to the murmuring students. Deciding that opposing an enraged violent woman would not make for a pleasant morning, everyone quickly filed out, excusing the Marauders and a nervously fidgeting Lily. James already found his feet and glared at Usagi as he rubbed his throbbing cheek.

"What the hell was that for?" The other three males were slowly backing away from James and the crazed looking Usagi.

"I know it's hard for you, but try not to be stupid," she stated in that deadly calm sounding but unbelievably angry tone. James made to retort when he finally caught sight of the teary eyed Lily standing a ways behind Usagi, looking at the floor. His eyes clouded with guilt and he dropped his hand to his side uselessly. "I want to know something, James. Why is it that every guy in the world treats love like it's some deadly disease they must avoid? Is it because you're so afraid you might actually feel something?"

"Wait a minute, don't yell at me just because you can't get a boyfriend," apparently this was James's attempt at saving a bit of dignity, because he really couldn't believe he said it either by the look on his face.

"This isn't about _me_, James." Usagi shouted. "This is about you breaking Lily's heart because you're a stupid, stubborn jerk!"

Usagi approached him, and James braced himself to be hit again, but instead the blonde circled around him and shoved him toward the persistently silent redhead. James looked back at her, wide eyed, but she just inclined her head toward Lily and crossed her arms. Defeated, the blue eyed boy proceeded toward Lily slowly, his face full of apprehension.

"Lily, I'm sorry," the words came surprisingly easy, because he really meant them. Her head finally jerked upwards, tears rolling over her cheeks, and her green eyes sparkling with reproach. He stepped forward again and circled his arms around her shoulders, much to her surprise, which she emitted in a small squeak.

James pulled her closer and lowered his head to her ear, their cheeks touching softly. He whispered, "I'm in love with you, Lily Evans."

In the next few moments, Lily threw her arms around him, Usagi yelled at the remaining Marauders that they had to leave too, everyone left the two alone, and the rest, is history.

**xXx**

Behind shelves in the library, into crowds in the halls, up in the girl's dormitory, no matter what the location Usagi found new and clever ways to slip away everyday. Successfully avoiding someone you hung around with all of the time proved a challenge, but the blonde rose to meet it. She'd been fortunate to accomplish just that for a full week now, but with no classes tomorrow, she wondered how much more difficult it might become.

Because things inevitably changed like she dreaded they would. Now whenever her gazes connected with Sirius she had to look away. Her heart would speed up to ridiculous rates, her eyes would grow watery, her throat would clamp shut, and her hands would start to shake. Hell she kept getting closer to becoming one of those stupid fan girls every day.

Work barely distracted her, for she knew at every waking moment in class those grey eyes were burning into the back of her. She did her homework alone in the dormitory, sometimes with Lily as company, instead of joining everyone downstairs in the common room. She even stooped as low as to sneak off to the kitchen at meals and let the house elves dote upon her.

Lily noticed the withdrawn behavior of her best friend even through the euphoria of her still blooming relationship with James. Still the redhead wasn't as brash as the blonde. She didn't have the guts to march up to Usagi and call her a coward even if that's exactly how she was acting at the moment. Instead the emerald eyed beauty watched from a distance with increasing worry as the pigtailed Gryffindor strived to make herself miserable.

The openness Lily and James now showed in their affections, little looks and touches and smiles, they stung at Usagi no matter how insanely happy she was that they finally got together. It made her realize how stupid she was being, how irrational and immature. How she deserved to have those Sirius stalkers laughing at her behind her back even though she cursed them out every other day from sheer frustration.

At the moment, she occupied the very back table in the library mindlessly sucking on a sugar quill while she read over her History of Magic notes, more concentrated on her wonder that she'd been desperate enough to take notes rather than the actual content. Nearly concealed entirely by a bookshelf, she didn't worry too much that anyone would find her there.

One soft thump on the table later found her sugar quill in her lap and her heart in her throat. "Er, Sirius, hi. I was just leaving." The blonde jumped to her feet and the sugar quill dropped on the floor, forgotten until the caretaker found it stuck in the carpet one day. Her hands scrambled around the table as she shoved her things into her bag.

"Usagi," Sirius rounded the table and placed his hand over the blonde's fumbling one, effectively halting her movements. It only lasted a moment, because she jerked her hand back and slung her bag over her shoulder. She tried to move around the taller boy, but he blocked her way, shoving her backwards into the bookshelf.

The impact hit hard enough to rattle the dusty books, and Usagi's bag fell by her feet with an audible clunk. Sirius placed his hands on both sides of her head and stepped closer, pinning her between him and the shelves. The blonde shifted her eyes back and forth, and then gulped, knowing she was effectively trapped.

"Damn it Usagi, why are you avoiding me?" His grey eyes only centimeters away from her own blue, Usagi couldn't look away anymore. Her knees were buckling. Amidst the frustration and anger there was something else she'd never seen on Sirius's face before, and it resembled hurt.

"I'm not, it's just," she paused, her face growing earnest, "Sirius, there's a reason why I never told you I liked you."

Sirius could tell instantly that Usagi said more than she meant to; her face turned ashen white, her mouth opened and closed several times. In a last desperate attempt she tried to duck under his arm and flee. He caught her around the waist before she could get an arm's length away and pulled her back.

"Usagi, please," Again the blonde found herself overwhelmed. She'd only been in Sirius's arms twice before, once half drunk, and once in the dark. Her arms moved upward, her hands clenched into the fabric of his school robes.

"Stop it. Stop being so nice. Stop caring about me. You're making it so hard."

"_I can't, really, I'm sorry. You'll have a good chance to meet some friends though, so don't worry." Again, the comfort these words should convey wasn't present. Usagi inwardly flinched, withdrawing her shaking hands back to her possessions and concentrating on her white tennis shoes. Setsuna turned to leave, but paused, and added, "Oh, and Usagi, remember what I told you."_

"_Yes," the tiny eleven year old girl spoke so softly toward the ground beneath them._

"_The day of graduation I will have to take you away. You won't remember anyone or anything from here." The woman paused, her garnet eyes sad as they stared at the trembling Usagi. "There's nothing I can do to change it."_

_As the girl slowly climbed the steps onto the Hogwarts Express, she became suddenly dizzy. Her hands braced the fall into the stairway as her eyes swam with moisture. "What's the point? What's the point?"_

"What's the point?"

"You aren't making sense," Sirius's words brought her back to the present, to a library full of dusty old books, to a boy she just desperately want to love. To just simply love. "Why won't you just tell me?"

"I have to leave." Usagi wrenched away from him so forcefully that the black haired boy stumbled back a few steps. "This isn't just the last year of school, Sirius. This isn't all of us going our separate ways. I have to leave forever. I'll never see you or Lily or Remus or James or Peter again."

"What...Usagi, what are you talking about? What are you saying? Where could you possibly go?" Looking back, Usagi never considered that only she would be terrified of being gone from here forever. Now, oh but now, she could see how seriously wrong she was.

"Setsuna, my guardian, she says I wasn't even supposed to be born here. She says it was a mistake or something, but I can't leave until I turn eighteen." Usagi stared at her hands for a while, before she continued, "It's so stupid. I belong in some other world. So I have to leave. I haven't told anyone. I haven't even told Lily."

Again she stopped, taking full advantage of Sirius's disbelieving silence. Finally turning her eyes up to look at him again, she asked quietly, "Is that selfish?"

It happened so quickly and there was one arm firmly around her waist and one pressed in the middle of her back. Sirius nestled his head into the crook of her neck and said nothing. Usagi let her head fall against his shoulder as her eyes dropped closed, heavy with regret.

How long they stood there neither could say. Seconds, minutes, hours, time was not a factor to them. Yet, at that same moment the surreptitious mistress known as time grew into the most important factor of all. Because now, they both knew, there was so very little of it. Such a small, cruelly short amount of time.

**xXx**

Don't hit me. I bruise easily. I'll now confess that after I wrote the first chapter of this story I had short notice to come up with a plot factor. I was sitting and listening to the 'Pieces of You' album by Jewel when I heard a song. I instantly knew I wanted to work the story out like this as I listened to it.

Therefore, the true, official, undisputed theme to this story that actually inspired most of it is _Near You Always_ by Jewel. If you take a few moments to look up and read the lyrics you'll understand. I've also been itching to write this scene and it only took me a full month to work through, sentence by sentence, word by word.

By the way, it's my eighteenth birthday (August 23). :D Do grace me with reviews. Also, some nice James and Lily fluff. I love you. :)

-SachiNyoko


	15. Chapter 14

"Don't you think it's strange?" Lily Evans sat up straight, removing her head from her boyfriend's shoulder and giving him a piercing stare with her bright green eyes. Said boyfriend, one James Potter, never moved his own blue eyes from his parchment. The quill in his hand still scratched softly as he responded to her question.

"What's strange?"

"Usagi and Sirius," Lily reached over and tugged on his arm, pulling his gaze from his work. He gave her a questioning glance, and she inclined her head toward the stairs that led up to the boy's dormitories. Just visible were the forms of the two so mentioned talking to each other in low tones, oblivious to the attentions of their best friends. "I'm certainly not complaining but they weren't talking to each other at all and now they're together all the time. They barely hang out with us anymore. I think something is going on."

"I think you're looking into to it a little too much." James responded. As Lily's face remained an anxious frown, he slipped his arm around her shoulders and placed a kiss on her temple. "Don't worry about it. They would tell us if it were serious, right?"

"I guess so," Lily sighed as James smiled, satisfied, and turned back to his parchment. Her green eyes stayed full of worry as she watched Usagi and Sirius rise, turning to ascend the stairs together in silence under only her notice. '_I know I'm right. Something is up._'

**xXx**

Sirius ran his fingers through Usagi's long blonde hair, which had been freed from their usual buns, as she lay asleep beside him. It was only mid afternoon but the blue eyed girl had fallen asleep almost instantly when they reached his dorm, and he didn't particularly mind it.

More prominent, the ache he felt in his heart as he looked across at the girl aside him. He knew before that he felt something for her, something more than friendship no matter how many times they argued and fought. Still, now that they both confessed, instead of being tamed that feeling only grew wilder, so much that it terrified him. The short, blonde, pixie of a girl held so much power over him it was almost laughable.

Now recently, it also came to light how blind he'd been to her suffering the whole year. The smiling, crazy, laughing Usagi still shown vaguely on the outside, but looking back it had been easy to see that the edges of her smile were crumbling. So easy discernible as the barely covered sorrow in her eyes, and he couldn't blame her in the least. But even now she became more depressed with the weight of the events to come pushing down on her more and more.

How had she done it, he wondered; how had she attached herself so completely to all of them when she knew? She knew since she came to Hogwarts that she would have to leave at the end of the seven years and still sufficed to make such close companions.

But she'd only smiled and told him, '_How sad would I have been if I never knew any of you? If I had stayed a hermit through all these years and we never met? Having never known you seems a lot sadder than having to leave._'

Usagi's eyes slowly opened, and she smiled into the gray pair that immediately filled her vision. Sirius pushed his somber thoughts away and returned the gesture easily, but not before she caught it. "What were you thinking about? You looked sad."

"Sunshine and rainbows," he grinned, earning a smile from the blonde beside him.

"That doesn't seem too sad," she returned, sitting up straight and yawning. When she turned back to him, he shrugged lightly. "Anyway, we should go meet up with Lily and James before dinner, don't you think?"

"Usagi," Sirius caught her arm before she scrambled off the bed, and she turned accordingly, her face innocently questioning. "Are you going to tell them? Don't you think they deserve to know?"

Her blue eyes turned immediately to the floor and she gently pulled her arm free of his grasp. She entwined her hands together in her lap and bit on her lip, glancing at him only from the corners of her eyes. Softly, she responded, "I don't know, Sirius."

She stood and walked from the room at a quicker pace than normal, leaving Sirius to follow. Once she reached to bottom of the stairs, she rocketed across the common room and enveloped the bristled Lily into an enthusiastic hug. Once the redhead realized the situation, she returned the embrace wholeheartedly.

"Lily, I'm starved. Ready for dinner?" Usagi pulled away with her usual grin, a sight happily received by her best friend as she nodded. Sirius hung back a bit from the group looking decidedly cross until James joined him to walk behind the now chattering girls, falling into place as easily as if they'd never been apart. The group of four met Remus and Peter already in the Great Hall and took their usual seats. To the rest of the students filing in, it appeared as though nothing had changed.

"Sirius, don't just sit there." Usagi finally said, turning to the persistently silent boy beside her. Startled by the sudden statement, Sirius realized he had been idly staring at his plate the whole time. He couldn't veer his mind to anything but Usagi, and the thought of her leaving, and their four best friends being totally oblivious. "You're acting like a lump and it's annoying."

"Well you're always annoying so I'm not too worried." He retorted. Usagi stuck her tongue out at him and returned to her dinner in a huff. Still, after a moment she smiled brightly at Lily, at something the redhead had said to her, and the two girls started laughing. Sirius kept his eyes on her, trying to imagine life without her.

"She's right, mate. You are acting like a lump." James clapped him on the shoulder, almost sending the dark haired boy face first into his dinner. The startled Sirius realized his friend was right, and the anxious look that Usagi sent him put him back into order.

"Now you're agreeing with _her_?!" He exclaimed, indignant. Usagi immediately turned and laughed while James's eyebrows rose.

"Maybe James has finally realized that _I_ am always right." The blonde announced in a singsong tone, pretending not to notice the identical contortion of features that took over the two best friends' faces. Remus coughed into his fist, trying to hold in his own laughter at the expense of his two companions.

'_So it's all a matter of good acting_,' Sirius wondered to himself as their conversation continued on, disturbing the surrounding Gryffindors and even some of the other houses. The return to normalcy only seemed strange to him.

**xXx**

Usagi stared at herself in the full length mirror. The black dress she wore cinched into her waist, hugged her simple curves. She wasn't voluptuous. Maybe that didn't matter so much. Her deep blue eyes sparkled against the torch lights that illuminated the bathroom, sheltered by thick eyelashes. Her lips were full enough, pretty pink glazed over with her favorite lip gloss. Clenching fingers into the fabric of her dress skirts, she looked away.

_Go on a date with me_.

The slightly nervous tone of his voice hadn't escaped her, the way his gray eyes avoided meeting her own. The odd request took a moment to process. They attended the Halloween Ball together, but could it be considered a date? Sirius explained that he wanted them to go on a real date, to leave the school, if only to Hogsmeade. The simple, sweet sentiment of it made the blonde's heart ache as she placed her palm lightly on the cool glass.

"Are you ready?" Usagi jumped and turned to face Lily, her hand falling uselessly to her side. Her face must have read something of a guilty child caught in the act, but she quickly realized it and replaced the tremulous expression with a smile. "The boys already headed out."

James and Sirius would meet up with Lily and Usagi in Hogsmeade. It felt like being chaperoned, but Lily and James were going their separate ways. Sirius was taking her somewhere, she didn't know where. She was so painfully in love, and two months of their very short time had already dwindled. Thanksgiving had just passed by; they were coming up on Christmas. Sucking in a steadying breath, Usagi pushed all these hurtful thoughts away.

"Let's go."

**xXx**

Sirius watched Lily approach them. Lily was not a large girl by any means, but Usagi was so tiny that she tucked behind her best friend easily. Still, the blonde stepped out, her usual air of confidence barely there. As each day passed he could see, Usagi just hurt more and more. Even at the peak of her act, when she appeared the happiest, he could still see it in her eyes. Whenever they were alone all she wanted to do was hold onto him, as though someone was going to rip her away any second.

It scared him.

Lily practically dragged James away, telling them to have fun as they disappeared down the sidewalk. Sirius moved forward then, taking Usagi's hand in his own and tilting her chin in his direction. When their eyes met, her trance finally broke. She offered him a smile, a genuine smile, and he returned it with his typical grin.

"You're so cheesy," she taunted. He shrugged casually before leading her off. Usagi expected the usual date spot. She knew that Sirius frequented one of the nicest restaurants in Hogsmeade for most of his dates.

They passed it.

If Sirius noticed her inquisitive eyes as she glanced back at the brightly lit eatery and then to him, he chose to ignore her. So they continued in silence. Then they stopped. Usagi looked up at the sign with wide blue eyes, but Sirius pulled her inside quickly. Thankfully the outside décor did not reflect the inside of the small bistro. From the exterior the blonde had to think the dark haired boy lost his mind. It looked positively run down, condemned.

Inside, floating candles lit the room, dimly but to a nice effect. A waitress approached them, smiling, and immediately led them to a table in the corner. The round table was meant for two, a simple white tablecloth covering the dark wood. On closer inspection, however, Usagi realized that intricate lace designs were weaved into the fabric. A live band played slow melodies, several couples danced slowly across the stretch of empty hardwood floor.

"Do you like it?" Usagi could only nod. It was perfect.

**xXx**

Sirius wrapped his arms around her waist, and Usagi's found his neck in response. They moved slowly with the music. Her heart was so full she couldn't speak. She didn't either. They made it through another hour in Hogsmeade, all the way back to Hogwarts, and to Sirius's dormitory before another word was said.

"I love you," Usagi nestled so close to him that she doubted a piece of parchment could have fit in the space between them.

"I love you too."

"I think I should tell them now."

"Yeah," and they both fell asleep, wondering of tomorrow.

**xXx**

Egads! I have nothing of substance to say. Working + school means no time. :(

♥SachiNyoko♥


	16. Chapter 15

Usagi slipped out of the Hogwarts entrance, plunging into the pitch black night that covered the grounds. New moon made the usually creepy landscape look absolutely sinister. By the time she could half way see her destination was upon her, and she could already see the silhouette of the person she was meeting outlined against the deep lake waters.

"Usagi! You scared the hell out of me!" The blonde giggled, retracting the hand she'd placed against his shoulder moments before. His fair hair fell into his eyes as he looked down at her, questioning. "I don't get it, why are we meeting out here in the middle of the night?"

"It's hard to escape Sirius these days," Usagi replied, her smile a mixture of amused, and oddly, melancholy. "I just wanted to tell you first, Remus, because we've sort of been there for each other for a while. I couldn't do it comfortably if Sirius was here too."

"Tell me what, Usagi?" Remus kept his concerned gaze on her, and Usagi fidgeted. To her, the werewolf had always been like a brother, and she knew he would not take the news lightly. The emotions hit her hard, and she knew she'd been terribly mistaken when she thought telling someone the second time around would be easier. She steeled herself.

"I'm leaving, Remus. And I'm not coming back, ever." The pigtailed girl pulled her thick coat even tighter around her, ignoring the chill of winter. Christmas was upon them. The school was mostly empty for the holidays. The Marauders all decided to stay at Hogwarts for their last Christmas there, which made it easier for Usagi.

Remus stayed silent, he probably didn't know how to react to that blunt statement. Usagi's Christmas gift to her best friends would be telling them that in a few months, they would never see her again. Tears flooded her eyes faster than she could blink. She relayed the full story to Remus, and he listened in silence. "I was going to tell everyone tomorrow, but, I wanted you to hear first."

"Usagi, you can't be serious." Her blue eyes swept out over the lake, but she said nothing in response, and Remus knew she meant every word. His throat constricted as he looked over the girl he'd known for the past seven years, with the saddest expression he'd ever seen cross her face. Closing the distance between them, he pulled her into a hug, one that the blonde hadn't even known she needed.

The next day, he stood aside her, on the side that Sirius didn't occupy, and held her other hand while she told the same thing to Lily, James, and Peter. The three listened in stunned silence. When the information sank in, Lily was the first to react. Her lips thinned into a harsh line as she stood and took her best fried head on.

"All this time you knew and you didn't tell me? I thought you were my best friend." As quickly as Lily swelled with rage, she deflated and hugged Usagi tightly, collapsing into sobs. "Usagi, you idiot."

"Can't you just, you know, not go?" James offered weakly.

"I wish it were that easy." Usagi smiled as Lily recomposed herself, then continued, "Look, I never told because I really didn't want you guys to get upset. I just want to enjoy what time I have left here. Okay?"

They made the promise to Usagi, that they wouldn't bring it up, but what could they really do to not think about something so huge? Try as they might, the thought kept eating at the edge of their subconscious. Usagi, one member of their friend circle, gone forever.

**xXx**

"Shut up, here he comes," Usagi elbowed him in the ribs and shot him a glare for telling her to shut up, but Sirius just waved her off impatiently. The whole lot of them huddled in the not so large closet in the Entrance Hall so they could watch their latest prank play out at a certain dark haired Slytherin's expense. Christmas Break had passed and all the students had returned to school, giving the Marauders free reign to torture Slytherins once again.

The blonde collapsed in hysterical laughter at the scene, the group bursting from the closet and making their escape before any authority figures happened along. Unfortunately a teacher exiting a nearby classroom spotted the mayhem and gave chase. They split up as another teacher joined the fray and continued running, ducking into secrets passages and shortcuts that they knew by heart.

It didn't take long to elude capture, and Usagi leaned into the wall, trying to catch her breath but finding it difficult while she was still laughing. After a few moments she looked around, and realized with a start that she was alone with Sirius.

_Please don't say I love you_

_Those words touch me much too deeply_

_They make my core tremble_

_Don't think you realize the effect you have over me_

_And please don't look at me like that  
It just makes me want to make you near me always_

Their foreheads touched and she felt his hand on the small of her back, pulling her closer. Her heart beat quickened, her cheeks flushed, and it didn't matter how many times it happened, his effect on her would always be the same. His gray eyes looked straight into her blue, saying so much without a single word. Softly, she spoke, "Sirius."

He silenced her with a kiss.

_And please don't kiss me so sweet  
It makes me want to crave a thousand kisses to follow  
And please don't touch me like that  
Makes every other embrace seem pale or shallow  
And please don't come so close  
It just makes me want to make you near me always_

She couldn't take any more. Her heart was breaking. It was a kiss of love, and of desperation. Pulling back, she kept her eyes closed as she ducked from his embrace. Turning away, she ran even though she knew he would follow. There was nothing she could do with this emotion. It hurt to be near him, to love him, but the thought of pushing him away hurt even more.

It was selfish of her to keep this up. In just a matter of months she would be leaving, gone for good. But he would still be here, without her.

_Please don't bring me flowers  
They only whisper the sweet things you say  
And don't try to understand me  
Your hands already know too much anyways  
Makes me want to make you near me always_

Sirius finally caught her by the arm, pulled her back, pressed her against the wall so she couldn't make another run for it. He remembered the day in the library where he cornered her because she'd been avoiding him like the plague, and she finally told him why. His expression was one of anger and frustration, but when he saw the tears on Usagi's face, he felt all of that emotion drain away.

She struggled against his hold for quite a while, but eventually gave in, collapsing against him in tears.

_And when you look in my eyes  
Please know my heart is in your hands  
It's nothing that I understand  
But in your arms you have complete power over me_

"I don't want to go," she spoke with a voice laced in misery, and it tore at his heart. All this time she had insisted this was inevitable, that she had no choice. Not once had she ever suggested that she hadn't accepted it as cold, hard truth. "I want to stay here, I don't want to go."

Sirius wrapped his arms around her, as though holding on would keep her there, as though it were that simple to answer her plea. He'd never felt this useless in his entire life. This was killing him, and it was killing her slowly. Every day, he could see her getting worse.

But there was nothing either of them could do.

_So be gently if you please  
'Cause your hands are in my hair  
But my heart is in you teeth babe  
And it makes me want to make you near me always_

He had carried her all the way back to the Gryffindor commons, which thankfully wasn't that far from where they'd been. When he set her back on her feet, she grabbed on to his arm and buried her face in the sleeve of his robes. The other Marauders noticed their entrance. Lily rose to come over, her face anxious at the sight of her heart sick best friend, but Sirius shook his head. They both disappeared up the stairs to his dormitory.

_Your hands are in my hair  
But my heart is in you teeth babe  
And it makes me want to make you near me always_

Tucked into the safety of his four poster bed, she curled against him and reveled in the comfort that came as his arms wrapped around her. "I'm sorry. You must be sick of me by now."

"Never," he assured, thumbing away the remnants of her tears.

"It's just not fair," she sighed, shifting even closer to him and closing her eyes. They fell into silence, letting sleep claim them.

_Want to be near you always  
Want to be near you always  
Want to be near you always_

**xXx**

I know this is sickeningly short, and once again depressing. I have a feeling this will be drawing to a close very soon. Most of the remaining school year will probably be skipped through. I'm still debating on whether to go with the happy ending or the sad one.

Oh and I'm not usually the song fic type of person, but I figured the song that inspired most of the plot should at least make a cameo. Please review.


	17. Interlude 2

**Interlude - Third Year**

"Hey Lily?" The redhead glanced up upon hearing her name and then did a double take. She hadn't expected her best friend to be the owner of the voice. It had been quiet, reserved, two things that Usagi definitely was not. Curious and somewhat puzzled, she shoved the homework she'd been working on to the side to make room for the blonde to sit on her four poster bed.

"Yeah?" Usagi eased down on the bed across from Lily but avoided looking at her directly. Lily's brow creased as she wondered whether some alien had abducted her friend and replaced her with a droid. Looking around, she noticed they were alone in the third year dormitory.

"Could I talk to you about something?" Again the usually vivacious girl sounded like a totally different person. Lily was quickly shifting from curious to concerned.

"Of course, you can tell me anything." Usagi picked at some invisible lint on her school robes and stayed quiet for a while after this statement. Lily was contemplating shaking it out of her just as the blonde decided to speak again.

"I think I like S--" She froze midsentence, her face turning unbearably red, and quickly stuttered, "someone. I think I like someone."

Now a knowing smile lit up in her green eyes. She wasn't blind to her best friend's recent shift in behavior toward a certain member of their gang. In fact she was beginning to wonder how he had managed to stay so clueless. Leaning forward, she said, "So you're going to tell him, right?"

"Wh-what?" Usagi's head shot up then, her blue eyes wide, and Lily couldn't help but laugh at her comical expression. She'd told Lily once that her name meant rabbit, but she was certainly living up to the namesake now. The emotion quickly shifted to annoyance as the redhead tried to stifle her giggles at the blonde's expense. "Lily, I can't just go up and tell him."

"Why not? It sounds like something you would normally do. You usually don't have a problem telling anyone how you feel." Now Usagi frowned, sensing her friend was also poking fun at her, but before she could cut in Lily continued, "Look there's no point in hiding it or trying to drop hints. Boys are too stupid to pick up on things like that. Just tell him you like him and see if he likes you back."

"I don't know," the blonde bit her lip, looking down at her shoes again.

"What's the absolute worst thing that could happen? He doesn't like you back, right?" Lily let the question hang until Usagi nodded, albeit reluctantly. "Then don't you think it's worth it?"

"I guess so. Thanks Lily." The pigtailed girl retreated from the dorm all together, still looking as unsure as when she'd approached, and Lily watched after her with a small frown puckering her face.

**xXx**

_That was not as much help as I'd hoped it would be_. Usagi sat in her History of Magic lesson the next day, one hand propping up her chin and the other twirling the quill she had no intention of using between her fingers. The spinning feather was not providing as much distraction as she might have wished. She could hear Sirius's low whisper to James just as well as if he were yelling.

"Hey Usagi," she jumped noticeably as that whisper was suddenly directed at her and turned, suddenly face to face with the main subject of her thoughts. Unable to help it, she turned a nice shade of rouge.

"What?"

"Can I borrow that?" He inclined his head toward the quill she had unwittingly stopped spinning. For a brief moment she wondered at the fact that he might be the only student to show up to class without something as basic as a quill. Then she nodded and shoved it toward him.

Without even a word of thanks he turned back to James, and Usagi dropped her head in her hands, fighting off the urge to groan. She could have sworn she heard Lily snicker in the desk behind her, and now seriously doubted her decision to turn to the redhead for advice.

So consumed by thoughts, she had nearly dozed off by the time class was over. When she realized it was, she grabbed her bag and dashed out of the room before she could be subjected to any of Lily's teasing. The blonde made it all the way to the end of the hall before another voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Hey, Usagi!" A few thundering footsteps later Sirius was beside her, winded and looking at her oddly. "Geez, what's the rush? You forgot your quill."

"Oh, thanks." Usagi accepted the feathered writing utensil from his outstretched hand, knowing her face was heating up once again. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

The words bubbled up like word vomit before she could stop them. Now Sirius's expression changed to one of surprise, but he shrugged anyway and said, "Sure."

"Ah," All the students from their History of Magic class were filing down the hall now and Usagi's short streak of forwardness had abruptly ended. Her jaw slammed closed and she clammed up, fidgeting under Sirius's curious grey eyes.

A group of students walked right by them, laughing, when one of the boys shoved another. They were only kidding around, but the boy was knocked off balance and straight into Sirius. He had not been expecting the sudden jolt, as his attentions were focused on the oddly stuttering blonde, and was also knocked forward into Usagi.

Usagi blinked as she hit against the wall she'd been standing in front of seconds before, and it took a millisecond for her to realize that Sirius lips were pressed over hers. Then the second was over. The boy threw an apology over his shoulder before he started arguing with his laughing friend and Sirius pushed away from her almost instantly.

"Sorry, what were you saying?"

For a moment, these words echoed. Then the blonde's mind slowly began turning again, trying to process the monumental thing that had just occurred in the past five seconds. Sirius was staring at her, now growing impatient, and she could not believe it. Her face turned beet red, and this time it was not from embarrassment.

The noise her hand made as it connected with his face was profound in its own right, and it halted the rest of the marauders as they were just walking upon the scene. Now they stared between their two friends, startled.

Usagi was still an impressive scarlet, one open hand in front of her and the other clenched around the now crumpled quill. She was shaking from head to toe. Sirius looked positively shocked, his hand reflexively shooting up to the side of his face, where and angry red hand print was already forming.

"That was my first kiss, you jerk!" The hall echoed with the pigtailed girls shout even as she stomped off down the hall, infuriated. The remaining group stared at Sirius, even more astonished than before. Finally, James broke the silence, letting out a low whistle.

"You kissed Usagi?"

"It was an accident!" Sirius quickly defended. Before anything more could be said, Lily cracked up. Now they turned to her, puzzled, but she just started off for their next class, still in hysterics. They pursued, trying to ask her questions, but she never would clue them in on what she found so amusing.

**xXx**

I know I had promised another interlude, and this idea came to me out of the blue. I hope you enjoyed it. :) I have the next chapter ready, it should be up in the next few days.

-SachiNyoko


	18. Chapter 16

"It seems awfully quiet lately, don't you think?" Minerva McGonagall, Head of the Gryffindor house, turned toward the Headmaster as she said this. She kept her demeanor neutral, but it was easy to see that the subject of the question had been on her mind for some time by the anxious undertone in her voice.

"That's an odd observation. I find it particularly loud in here." Albus Dumbledore replied most indifferently as he concentrated on the last bites of his dessert. McGonagall scowled at the obvious dodge of her question, but had to sigh anyway. She knew better than to try to engage Albus in any conversation when he had something containing sugar in front of him.

"You know that's not what I meant." Finally, Dumbledore replaced his fork on the table, his plate satisfactorily empty, and turned his twinkling blue eyes toward the group of students that McGonagall was so obviously referring to. They were seated in their usual spot at the Gryffindor table, chattering and laughing as they always had.

No, it was only focusing on the blonde at the end that he could noticeably see the difference. She'd always been a pale girl, but she was starting to look almost sickly. Even as she laughed with the redhead across the table at one James Potter's expense, her eyes remained tragically sad. Dumbledore frowned slightly, knowing that Minerva was watching him closely, waiting for his insight.

"I think that perhaps they've had to face some growing up this past year. It is the final year of Hogwarts for them, after all." He worded it as delicately as possible. Lying was not something he enjoyed, but there were certain secrets he wasn't at liberty to disclose, even to someone he trusted as much as Minerva McGonagall. Hoping to steer the subject, he added teasingly, "Besides, as I hear it, the infirmary has no short supply of hexed Slytherins to deal with."

McGonagall groaned, but still knew the conversation was over when Albus reached for another slice of pie. His words, however, had done more to confirm her suspicions rather than ease them. Something was going on there, she just wasn't sure what.

**xXx**

"Come on, I want some candy!" Usagi grinned as she dragged her group toward Honeydukes. The end of the school year was upon them and they'd all decided on an unsanctioned visit to Hogsmeade. They were fresh from the Three Broomsticks and quite full of Butterbeer, but the blonde was still suffering from her tremendous sweet tooth.

Lily had to laugh at the incredulous looks the Marauders were giving to the sheer amount of candy Usagi was grabbing. "You should see the stash she brings along at the beginning of the year. It takes up more space in her trunk than her school supplies."

The girl behind the counter smiled and greeted Usagi by name, proving further her unhealthy obsession with sweets.

"Exactly how often do you come here?" Sirius finally asked, watching Usagi count out galleons.

"Every other week usually. Keep the change." Usagi waved the girl off and grabbed her trove of candy, smiling as Sirius shook his head. "Where to now?" When no one offered a suggestion, she turned to James. "Don't you guys still have a bunch of planning to do for your big end of the year prank?"

"Well, yeah," James began, sending a sideways glance toward Sirius, and then shrugging, "but we were going to do that later."

"Nonsense. It's getting late already. Lily and I are going to Gladrags to look at clothes. We'll see you guys later." Turning back to Sirius, she dumped her huge bag of candy in his arms. "Could you take this with you, please?"

Sirius frowned at her and looked on the verge of saying something, when Usagi rose on her tiptoes to press their lips together. Pulling back, she smiled again and said, "Thanks."

She looped arms with Lily and began walking away, leaving no space for argument. Once they were well on their way, Lily fixed Usagi with her knowing gaze. "What was that all about, huh?"

"I feel like I'm keeping Sirius all to myself lately." Usagi kept her head turned away from Lily, watching the other happy customers of Hogsmeade wander down the lane, laughing and joking with each other. "It's not fair to James and Remus and Peter."

"Usagi," Lily had taken on that tone that always made Usagi feel like a child being scolded and the blonde felt no inclination to turn toward her best friend. "It's not like they don't understand."

"Irrelevant," Usagi returned, shrugging as they entered the clothing shop known as Gladrags Wizardwear. She still didn't have to glance at Lily to know she was receiving her worst glare and pretended to be heavily concerned with items on the clearance rack.

"You can be so frustrating." Lily finally resigned, unwilling to start an argument. Usagi was too stubborn to give in, and it really wasn't worth it. Instead she joined in the shopping venture, noting that Usagi already had an arm full of items to try on. It didn't take the redhead long to catch up.

"Ew, this looks just like that creep Vernon." Usagi's interest peaked with this statement as she observed a truly atrocious garb on display in the men's section that Lily had just pointed out.

"Who is Vernon?" The pigtailed girl asked, unable to contain a chuckle at the look of pure disdain that Lily gave her.

"He's Petunia's new boyfriend. He's completely awful in every way." Lily continued to frown as Usagi burst into giggles. "I'm glad you find it so amusing."

"Not at all Lily," Usagi laughed, "I completely sympathize. It just sounds like their made for each other. They'll probably get married."

"My god, you just jinxed it. Now they definitely are and I'll have the worst in-law in the history of time." Lily appeared truly horrified while Usagi used a nearby sales rack for support to keep from collapsing she was laughing so hard.

"If it's any consolation, I'm sure Petunia feels the same way about James." She offered as Lily huffed in annoyance and disappeared into the dressing rooms. Usagi composed herself enough to follow, trying to picture the terrible couple in her mind.

**xXx**

"We're back!" Usagi announced to the common room as she and Lily entered. James looked up at the two of them and then over at Sirius again. He couldn't help but notice his best friend had been unusually jittery the whole afternoon. At first he had figured it was just a side effect of being away from Usagi, since they'd practically attached to each other the past few months, but as it persisted he knew something else must be up.

But he hadn't gotten the chance to ask Sirius up front, and now it was too late. Sirius rose to his feet while Usagi handed her bag to Lily and shared a quick, whispered conversation. Then the two of them disappeared through the portrait hole as Lily came over to claim Sirius's previous spot beside him, throwing the bags to the side for the moment.

"Where are they going?" James asked, though he already had a hunch forming in his head. Lily shrugged, not looking too concerned.

"I don't really know. Usagi just said they had a date planned for tonight." She became intrigued as James frowned and looked down and the table thoughtfully. "Why, did Sirius say something to you?"

"Hardly," James responded, only a tinge of his real frustration showing in his tone. Lily leaned in closer and took his hand in hers.

"Hey, I know it's hard, I'm missing my best friend too. But Usagi already feels bad enough, that's why she sent Sirius away this afternoon." The anxiousness in the redhead's voice instantly deflated him, and he sighed.

"I know. I just there was something we could do."

**xXx**

_She could hear a woman screaming. There was a flash of green light. Then a brief image of a dark, dank cell. A baby crying nearby. A young boy with messy black hair, and when he turned around, brilliant green eyes._

Setsuna gasped for air, clutching her head as the images finally subsided. Her blurry vision slowly came into focus. She was still at the Time Gates, only now she was on her knees, weakened by the sudden visions. Her staff lay at her side, lifeless and unmoving. But something _was _moving in the corner of her eye.

"Queen Serenity?" Setsuna looked staggered as she returned to her feet, and remembering herself, bowed. The statuesque figure of Queen Serenity indeed stood near her, her face crinkled into a soft smile.

"Sailor Pluto. Setsuna, how is she?" The simple question stung. There was no need to specify on the 'she.' Setsuna tried not to flinch, and instead shrugged.

"Fine, last time I checked. I try to let her have her privacy." That was an outright lie. She couldn't bear to watch Usagi. She couldn't stand to watch her happiness draining out of her as she tried to cling to a life that she was about to be ripped away from. It hurt too much.

"What you just saw was the time line for this world," Queen Serenity tilted her head, the slight smile lingering on her lips. "At least, it was before Usagi was born there."

"What do you mean?" Setsuna forgot her grief for a moment, staring at her Queen with a mixture of emotions, most indescribable.

"Well, instead of keeping her head down for eighteen years as we would have hoped, my daughter became involved with several very key players in the history of this world. It's really quite unfortunate."

"Forgive my frankness, Your Majesty, but what exactly are you getting at?" Now Queen Serenity looked near amused, but Setsuna couldn't help it. A lump formed in her throat, and she couldn't stop the swell of hope in her heart.

"I've been debating it for a while now, but some recent events have really sealed the deal on my decision." She paused, smiling to herself now, before continuing, "To put it frankly, Usagi has managed to make herself a part of the destiny of this world. It's true that she has a destiny elsewhere, but that doesn't outweigh her importance here. I've decided she should stay."

Setsuna positively started to sob, making Queen Serenity raise her eyebrows in surprise. Then she walked forward and wrapped her long time friend in a hug. "I will tell her if you want."

Setsuna just nodded.

**xXx**

This was it.

That's all Usagi could think. She hadn't spoken so much as one word all morning. She and Sirius were the only ones on the train platform; it was too early for anyone else to be there. They sat together and she kept her face pressed into his robes, unable to look at anything without having a breakdown.

So it was quite the jolt when she found herself standing. She blinked her eyes open and looked around. She was still on the train platform, but everything was eerily silent. She realized why when she turned toward Sirius; everything was frozen.

"Serenity," Usagi whipped her head around at this name, familiar but not hers. Only now it wasn't a stubborn and frightening centaur calling her by it, but a woman. A woman with long hair pulled into two familiar buns and dark, wise eyes. Hearing that name from her almost sounded like it fit.

"Who are you?" It was the first in a long list of questions that popped into her head, but she couldn't help adding, "That's not my name."

"I know," The woman smiled, "It isn't anymore. But it used to be your name, once upon a time. As for your question, my name is Serenity, and I'm your mother."

Usagi gawked. She could think of nothing to say in response.

"Setsuna has told you that you weren't supposed to be born here. Before that, however, you were my daughter. You were known as Princess Serenity of the White Moon back then."

"So you're here to take me? Setsuna chickened out?" Usagi tried to collect herself, to comprehend what this woman was telling her, but the foremost thing in her thoughts was still the destruction of the only life she'd ever known.

"On the contrary, Setsuna was a bit too emotional to deliver the news to you herself. Believe it or not, the woman loves you." Serenity paused, but sensing Usagi was not going to speak, continued, "You've complicated your situation quite thoroughly and, as it were, you've doomed yourself to stay here."

"What did you say?" Usagi couldn't raise her voice above a whisper. Serenity looked on, a smile of amusement and affection marking her expression.

"Well, you chose some interesting company for friends." Serenity glance at the immobile Sirius, "In any case, you don't have to leave, with one condition."

"What condition?" Usagi couldn't believe what was happening. She was starting to shake all over.

"Well, two conditions actually. The first is that you have to give up the Ginzuishou." Usagi crinkled her brow in confusion, and Serenity elaborated, "The broach."

Without hesitation, Usagi dug the broach out of her robes and shoved it across the space between them. Serenity accepted it, her smile widening. A moment of silence passed before Usagi pressed, "And the second condition?"

"First you should know, I'm not sure how living without the crystal will affect your health, or your energy. It could weaken you substantially. You should be prepared for that." Serenity walked forward as Usagi nodded impatiently, and then thoroughly perplexed the girl when she reached out to place her hand lightly against the blonde's stomach. "The second condition is that you take good care of her."

Instantly, Usagi knew everything had gone back to normal. She could hear the soft sounds of birds again, and a moment later when Sirius called her name. He appeared beside her, but she couldn't face him just yet. She had one hand pressed against her abdomen, and the other to her mouth. Every part of her was shaking.

"Usagi, what is it? What's wrong?" Finally the blonde turned and flung herself at Sirius, sobbing uncontrollably.

"I'm staying," she managed to choke out. "I don't have to leave."

In a fashion reminiscent of the day when he'd first learned she was leaving, Sirius wrapped her in his arms and held on. They didn't break apart until the rest of the gang arrived, still reasonably earlier than anyone else. Usagi gave Lily a watery smile and all but pounced on the redhead as she gave the rest of them the news.

She was staying.

Of course, it would be a while before she shared her other news.

**xXx**

I figured I had given poor Usagi enough heartbreak in this story, and most of you reviewers felt she deserved a happy ending, so that's what I gave. Plus the ending in which Usagi leaves had me working into a sequel to where she returns during Harry's third year and frankly, I don't have any time to write that.

Expect an epilogue soon. :)

SachiNyoko


	19. Epilogue

"Lily, what am I going to do now?" Usagi perched on the stool and lowered her head in her arms on the counter in front of her, trying to emulate the misery she felt. Lily stood on the other side of the counter, chopping lettuce for their salad to save the horrors of a certain blonde touching anything in the kitchen.

"Hold on, Usagi, I think I'm experiencing some déjà vu." The redhead smiled with amusement as Usagi continued to grumble incoherently into her arms.

Usagi finally sat up straight and looked around at the well lit kitchen that now belonged to her. She'd arrived back from Hogwarts elated and dizzy with emotion still from the unexpected news given by her past mother.

Setsuna had met her as she came through the door, giving her pause. Though she'd tried to put on her best composed visage, Usagi could see the edges crumbling and wondered had she bothered to look all these years, if there was always that barely concealed anguish in Setsuna's garnet eyes. All of her life Setsuna had represented a cold and distant figure, if she was even around half the time. But maybe she understood now that Setsuna detached herself as best she could as a kind of defense mechanism.

Setsuna explained that even though Usagi was staying, she still had other responsibilities in this other world. The house and everything that belonged to Setsuna in this life would pass to Usagi on her eighteenth birthday, less than a month away. Until then she hoped the blonde could take good enough care of herself alone.

Unable to contain herself any further, Usagi burst into tears, hugged Setsuna, and apologized for all the awful things she had ever said to her. This proved to be too much for Setsuna as well, and though she pulled away, the tears had collected in her eyes as well. They had spent the evening talking, and Usagi came to understand that Setsuna did care for her, in her own way.

When she was gone, Usagi sent word for Lily to come stay with her immediately. She felt incredibly lonely and depressed in the house alone. Lily agreed without any hesitation and arrived as quickly as possible. Within a few days, Usagi found herself spilling her guts about everything that she'd been told by her previous mother, including the proverbial bun in the oven.

This brought the blonde's thoughts back to the kitchen and the present moment, to where Lily was now adding tomatoes to the bowl of lettuce and still refusing to answer her question. When she sensed the blue eyes on her, however, she said simply, "It's obvious that you should tell him. No, not should, you _have_ to tell him, Usagi."

"I know," she replied halfheartedly, dropping her head in her arms once more. "I sent owls to the guys this morning inviting them to hang out here for a while. You know, the last great summer of the Marauders or something."

At this, Lily raised her eyebrows in surprise, which Usagi didn't see, her eyes focused on the counter top. Still the redhead pursed her lips and said nothing in response, so Usagi continued, "It's only been a week and I miss him."

"I can't say anything to that," Lily admitted, "I miss James."

Usagi raised her head and smiled across the counter at her best friend. "What happened to us? Last year we were perfectly content turning down every guy at Hogwarts. Now we're pathetic."

They both laughed, and then fell into silence. Until Usagi felt the need to add, "I'm sure they'll come. I didn't fail to mention the lack of adult supervision."

Lily laughed again at this before announcing that the salad was ready. Usagi immediately excited at the prospect of food and forgot the whole matter, for the moment.

**xXx**

"Lily, what's wrong with Usagi?" The redhead in question jumped, startled, and looked up at Sirius with her green eyes wide as saucers. She had been enjoying some quiet time in the living room, reading her copy of her favorite book, _Wuthering Heights_. After all, since the guys arrived they'd staked claim to the dining room and were apparently working on revamping the Marauder's Map.

"Uh, what do you mean?" Lily managed, marking her page and closing the book while Sirius crossed his arms. "She seems fine to me."

Sirius frowned then, looking somewhat doubtful, and Lily truly felt bad for him. In all honesty she wanted to wring Usagi's neck for her more annoying bout of indecisiveness. She wondered if the blonde even knew what she was putting Sirius through by acting the way she was, almost aloof. Then again, she wasn't exactly surprised. Usagi had tortured herself for years in Hogwarts by keeping her feelings for the dark haired boy to herself and now, it seemed, she was attempting to do it again.

"There's something…I don't know. I just know if there was something, she would have told you." Lily bit down on her lips and shifted her gaze, unable to look on Sirius's anxious expression any longer. Yes, she was starting to think Usagi was a pure masochist.

"Look, Sirius, there's nothing I can say that wouldn't completely compromise my friendship with Usagi." Finally, she looked at him again, "But you should talk to her. Don't let her avoid you or she'll do it forever. You should know that pretty well by now."

"Thanks Lily," Sirius turned and left, hopefully with renewed determination. Lily sighed as she looked at the cover of her book, but was too frazzled to read at this point. She just hoped Usagi would set things straight and allow her own happiness, for once.

**xXx**

_So I don't want to be one of the boys..._

Usagi sighed and switched the radio station, trying to amuse herself to no avail. It was quiet, something she hadn't expected with Lily and the four Marauders in the house, but they were busy with that map and she wanted to ask, for what?

_I want to tell you what I'm feeling, but I don't know how to start..._

Groaning, she twisted the dial again, relishing the harmless static nestled between stations. She was already weighed down by enough guilt, whether her own or the pangs she felt when Lily sent her that look anytime she and Sirius were in the room together. She did not need some other being trying to communicate via the songs on the radio.

_Some people call me the space cowboy; some call me the gangster of love..._

Smiling at the radio, she sang along with one of her favorite songs as she rolled over on her back and stared at the ceiling. Frustration, and mostly with herself, was the dominant emotion she felt. Some part of her probably realized that she had a habit of making things more difficult than they should be. But every time she was alone with Sirius, and she thought about telling him, her throat just closed up.

Yet Usagi couldn't decide exactly what it was that she was afraid of. She knew better than to think Sirius would up and leave her. Sure he was irresponsible in a lot of ways, but really.

"Really love your peaches wanna shake your tree," her words stopped abruptly when she realized the radio was no longer playing her backup vocals. Sirius appeared above her, blocking the view of the ceiling and frowning, and she sat up instantly. For a moment, she hesitated, staring at the wall across from her with wide eyes, until finally she shifted and turned around to face him. "Hey."

"Usagi," she could see it, the strain in his expression and it almost felt like a physical hurt in her own heart. She was making such a mess, causing both of them so much grief. He dropped onto the bed beside her, finally, and fixed her in place with his grey eyes. She felt her weight shift toward him but couldn't bring herself to move. "There's something you're not telling me."

Usagi gulped, and suddenly scowled. "Lily told."

Sirius shook his head quickly, tousling his shaggy black hair. "She wouldn't tell me anything. She just told me to talk to you, so I know there's something." He swallowed, and continued, "Something you've told her but not me."

That stung, unexpectedly. _Tell him, tell him, tell him_! Blinking, she realized that was her mind screaming at her, but it felt as if someone had a hand around her vocal chords, choking them into silence. She stayed stock still under his scrutiny, when he suddenly dropped his gaze.

"Usagi, I realize things are different now. If you," again he stopped, struggling over his words. For one surreal moment she wondered who this was, certainly not the Sirius she was used to. He always knew what to say. "If you don't feel the same--"

"I'm pregnant." The room froze in its silence, but the words came, suddenly bubbling through the ice that had gripped her voice. She couldn't help it, she could not sit there and listen to Sirius accuse her of not loving him just because she wasn't leaving now. The thought of it was sickening as it was preposterous. "You idiot. I love you."

Her words crumbled beneath emotion and tears and she couldn't look at him anymore, though he was staring at her now with disbelief. It felt like an eternity that she sat there crying into the silence, unable to even glance up once.

Finally, his hands touched the sides of her face, gently thumbing away her tears. Usagi hadn't realized how cold she'd been until the warmth of his touch spread through her. She finally raised her blue eyes from her lap, just as his mouth covered hers, their lips molding together, and she closed them as a reflex.

It didn't last long enough, she thought as he pulled away, their faces still inches apart. "You are the most frustrating person there is. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes," she responded, giving him a watery smile. "I'm sorry."

"I'm kind of relieved," at the odd expression that covered her face, Sirius laughed and elaborated, "I had convinced myself you didn't love me."

"Don't worry, you're stuck with me whether you like it or not," Usagi offered one of her playful smiles and pulled his lips down to hers again.

Later that evening as they lay side by side, his arm around her with one hand on her stomach, fingers splayed across her abdomen, he pressed his face into her hair and muttered the two words that would seal their fate for good, "Marry me."

**xXx**

It was a small affair, and neither of them saw reason to invite anyone but Lily and the guys. They were the only people who mattered. They spent the summer in newlywed bliss, but as the season drew to a close and the chill of winter began to cool the air, James and Lily finally brought to light the looming darkness they'd been avoiding all that time.

Gathered around the kitchen table, James the only one standing, he placed a pile of newspapers on the wooden surface and pushed them into eye's view of everyone present. The moving picture on the top edition was a petrifying yet recognizable sight to each of them; a glowing skull with a snake curling from the mouth. Usagi didn't chance a look at the headline, didn't want to know how many had been killed. Instead she shifted her blue eyes between James and Lily, her brow creased with anxiousness.

"Lily and I are joining the Order." Usagi felt her fists clench in her lap, knew she must have gone dreadfully pale, but couldn't bring herself to speak. As no one else did either, James continued, "We can't just sit by. We aren't asking any of you to do the same, but as friends, we thought you should know."

Lily rose from her seat and came around the table to pull Usagi into a hug. When they were close enough, Lily spoke low enough so only the blonde could hear, "Don't even think about it, you hear me? I know you well enough, Usagi, but you have a baby to think of. There's no way."

Usagi couldn't help but smile into the redhead's shoulder. Lily hadn't even given her the chance, but she'd been right on the mark. A few moments of silence would have heard her pledging herself to the cause as well, but Lily was right. Besides, between Lily and Sirius, there would never have been a chance to get her way.

But her aside, the whole group had agreed, they would join the Order of the Phoenix.

**xXx**

**Some Years Later**

Lily Potter rested gratefully in her rocking chair, swollen feet propped mercifully on her footstool and two pale hands resting contentedly on her swollen belly. She tilted her head gently as she watched her firstborn Harry trying feebly to win at cards against the little girl across from him, narrowing his green eyes at his hand and frowning. An amused smile played across the redhead's lips at the two small children's antics.

"Fish, fish, got my wish!" The little girl, not a whole year older than Harry, announced in a singsong voice as she threw down another match. Her blue eyes twinkled as Harry snorted with frustration and accused her of cheating again. A thick mane of black hair was pulled back into a messy braid that fell over her shoulder, as free wisps framed a heart shaped face almost identical to her mother's. "Don't be a sore loser, Harry."

"This game is stupid." The raven haired boy declared, throwing his cards down in a huff as the young girl giggled.

"She's Usagi the second, eh?" Lily started as James's voice cut through her reverie. He grinned at her as he bent down for a kiss, which she eagerly returned. After he pulled away, she nodded to his earlier statement.

"Definitely, another Usagi through and through. You're home early."

"Went better than I expected. How'd we manage to have the Sirius reincarnate, though?"The couple looked on as the two children proceeded to get into an argument, bringing their memories back to their days at Hogwarts. James looked down at Lily with raised eyebrows. "Is there something going on that I don't know about?"

Lily scowled at him, her green eyes turning hard as emeralds. "That's not even funny, James."

On the contrary to her statement, James started laughing at his wife's expense. Eventually she softened into amusement as well. "Are Sirius and Usagi going to be out late?"

"Probably, they hardly get time for themselves any more. None of us do really," Lily spoke with only a touch of sadness, still lightened by the two children who had subsided in their bickering and were now playing stubbornly on opposite sides of the room.

"Well, maybe not for much longer." James spoke this with an air of conviction, and then stooped down to steal another chaste kiss from Lily. "I'm going to get clean. You'll be alright with the bickering hooligans?"

"Of course," Lily smiled as James retreated toward the bedroom and turned her attentions back to said hooligans. For a moment she wondered if they were destined for a love like Sirius and Usagi had. Though they had changed from their school days they still had their share of heated arguments. Usagi still had that knack for making things much more difficult than need be. But in the end they loved each other so much that it always brought them back together. Their love, she supposed, was a balance of passion and pain.

"I'm sorry Harry, let's play something else okay?" Lily's smile morphed into a grin as the girl batted her big blue eyes at Harry and caused his little cheeks to redden. A moment passed in his embarrassment before he finally nodded.

"Fine, but I get to pick this time!"

**The End**

I strained over this last scene. I kind of wanted to just drop off and let you decide what would happen yourselves, but in the end I wanted it happy, so here's this. Still some hints of evil afoot, I'll let you decide how things go from here.

I imagine Sirius and Usagi's relationship as a rocky one. Probably their new theme would be Mad by Ne-Yo. Oh and I snuck some lyrics from One of the Boys by Katy Perry in there; it's a cute song and it reminds me of this story. I think I should release an official soundtrack for this story! Ha ha, but really of all my stories it's been the most influenced by music.

I'm very fond of this story but still glad that it's done. I think I'm ready to move on. ;) I hope you enjoyed the ride, and if you're so inclined, please review.

SachiNyoko


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